Rule 803.03A reads:

"A. After each throw, the thrown disc must be left where it came to rest until the lie is established by the placing of a marker. This can be done by placing a mini marker disc on the playing surface between the hole and the disc, directly in line with the hole, on the line of play, touching the thrown disc. A player may instead choose, without touching or repositioning the thrown disc, to use the thrown disc as the marker. The marker may not be moved until the throw is released. A marker inadvertently moved prior to the throw shall be returned to its correct location."

In my interpretation of this, it sounds like it would be legal to mark your lie on the back edge of the disc rather than the front edge of the disc. I can think of several times in the woods when this would have been beneficial, as it would have given a better stance because of the trees in the way. In most of these instances, I've just made the choice not to use a marker, but this rule sounds like you CAN use a marker on the back edge and gain up to an extra 15cm (6") that way, which can be enough to help. Am I interpreting this correctly?

As a related note, does anyone actually go so far as to keep a max-sized mini with them for use in situations like this?

I think you are reading this rule correctly. The way I interpet it, you just have to make sure you throw your disc BEFORE you get to your mark. I do not see where standing 6"-12" behind your mark would be a violation.

How far back from the original disc can we through from, though?

How much are you wanting? I do not think the rules specify that because one generally thinks of standing farther back as a disadvantage.

The answer is no. The rule states that the mini marker is to be placed between the hole and the disc. The back edge of the disc is not between the hole and the disc.

If you go by how the rule reads, you cannot mark your lie behind your thrown disc. However, I would think that in this situation it would be acceptable to leave your disc lie and stand behind your disc a little and throw. I do not see where anybody would try to give you a violation on this. The only time I would see this as an issue is if somebody in your group would be trying to get you to throw from under a bush or shrub instead of standing 1' behind and throwing over.

How much are you wanting? I do not think the rules specify that because one generally thinks of standing farther back as a disadvantage.



It is indeed specified that you must be within 30 cm behind the disc unless your are getting relief as allowed in the rules.

Thank you for the insight.

The answer is no. The rule states that the mini marker is to be placed between the hole and the disc. The back edge of the disc is not between the hole and the disc.



This is the correct call if you use a marker disc and you have up to 30cm behind the "marker disc" to make your stance. Anything beyond that and it would be a stance violation.


It is indeed specified that you must be within 30 cm behind the disc unless your are getting relief as allowed in the rules.




The 30cm is behind the marker disc, not the actual disc itself.

803.04 A. When the disc is released, a player must:
(1) Have at least one supporting point that is in contact with the playing surface on the line of play and within 30 centimeters directly behind the <font color="red"> marker disc </font> (except as specified in 803.04 E);

If you use the actual disc, then the actual disc is approximately 21-22 cm in diameter and thus you would have approxiamtely 8-9cm to make a stance behind the actual disc.

I am sure this will be debated over and over for a long time, but the main thing to remember is that you have 30cm behind the front tip of your disc on a line to the basket to make your stance.

You get 30cm behind your disc if you elect to leave it on the ground and use it as the marker. Read 803.03A. If you use your thrown disc as the "marker" it officially becomes the "marker" for determining the stance which provides up to 30 cm behind it just like a mini. That's why you look before marking to decide if that extra disc diameter back by leaving your disc as the marker is better than marking with a mini.

Thanks for clarifying, Chuck.

Thanks CHUCK , I got argued on this one time left it to majority rule since I did not have a rule book , but I knew in my heart that once I leave disc on ground it becomes the marker and you have 30 centimeters behind DISC to release .
If I remember correctly the OLD RULE ( prior to being able to used disc as marker ) said " THAT DISC THAT IS LEFT ON GROUND becomes a marker and cannot be used as a disc the rest of the round "
At this time , with the new rule the disc even though it becomes the marker , the disc can be reused as disc .

I am sure this will be debated over and over for a long time, but the main thing to remember is that you have 30cm behind the front tip of your disc on a line to the basket to make your stance.



This is complete balderdash. Read the definition of "marker" in the front of the rule book.

This is how non-rule rules get started on their way to becoming urban legends.

If I remember correctly the OLD RULE ( prior to being able to used disc as marker ) said " THAT DISC THAT IS LEFT ON GROUND becomes a marker and cannot be used as a disc the rest of the round "



That's either a really old rule (pre-1989) or a non-rule.

I stand corrected, thanks

This will be beneficial in the scrub down here at McClain and Live Oak.

Methinks you do not remember correctly. The old rule (prior to use of thrown disc as marker) required players to mark every lie.

I stand corrected, thanks

This will be beneficial in the scrub down here at McClain and Live Oak.



Good to know you folks take cleanliness so seriously. I don't think I've ever seen a "scrub down" at a disc golf course in Virginia. :D

A little history on the rule. Mark Ellis is credited with the current rule allowing you to leave your disc on the ground as the marker and also for the option for a player to ask the group if they can play before another person in the group who is farther out. The reason these came about was for the 1999 Pro Worlds in Rochester to speed up play. These courses were the shortest on average in a long while and each course had four rounds per day played on them with 2 hr and 15min allowed per round so speed was essential to keeping things moving. It was also the first time using a drop zone for missing a mando was tested in competition on hole 18 at Genessee to prevent throws over a parking lot (those crushing Swedes testing that shot in practice :eek:). The success of those rules at Worlds turned them into official rules in the next update.

. . . the main thing to remember is that you have 30cm behind the front tip of your disc on a line to the basket to make your stance.



This is complete balderdash. Read the definition of "marker" in the front of the rule book.



Is the part about "front tip" the balderdash part? The rest of it seems ok, but I only saw "on the line of play and within 30 centimeters directly behind the marker disc," in 803.04 A.(1). Is there some place that references the front edge of the disc. So, the statement about if you are throwing behind a mini you have ~26cm but if you use your thrown disc as your marker then you only have ~8cm is the inaccuracy that shouldn't become urban legend rule? Is that right?

803.04 A. When the disc is released, a player must:
(1) Have at least one supporting point that is in contact with the playing surface on the line of play and within 30 centimeters directly behind the marker disc (except as specified in 803.04 E);


Th part about 30cm from the front tip is absolute bull cockey. The supporting point at the time of the throw is from behind the lie as marked. That's the edge of the disc away from the target. (can a circle have an edge??)

You have 30 cm behind the marker disc, not from the front edge. And when you use the previously thrown disc, by definition it becomes a marker disc.

In responce to the original question, I *think* you could put the back edge of your mini even with the back edge of your disc in the line of play and still be within the rules as I read them. As a matter of fact, this would be the way I would mark a lie if for example I needed to throw the same disc again and it snuggled up against the base of a tree on its front edge. By marking the back edge I have the same lie as if I used the disc as a marker but I have the ability of throwing the disc I needed.

That doesn't comply with the requirement to place the mini marker between the previously thrown disc and the hole.

803.03 Marking the Lie
A. After each throw, the thrown disc must be left where it came to rest until the lie is established by the placing of a marker. This can be done by placing a mini marker disc on the playing surface between the hole and the disc, directly in line with the hole, on the line of play, touching the thrown disc.

I could argue that "between" included the entirety of the disc, not just the front edge which is what I was thinking in my original post but other stipulations of the rule nullify my arguement. Rereading the rule, I see that the thrown disc must be left where it is and the marker must touch the disc. This rules out lifting the back of the disc and sliding the marker under it.

Hypotheticly, I'm playing a round and I have lost all of my discs except one disc and my mini. I throw my last disc and it comes to rest at the base of a tree, the front edge touching the tree in the line of play. Do I have any option other than unplayable lie?

Tip the mini so it's leaning vertically up the tree trunk.

The front edge is right against the tree so I can't place the mini on the playing surface in the line of play without moving the disc. And the marker does have to touch the playing surface according to the rule, not just the disc.

Yea, its called stand and deliver. :D

Read 803.08A. When the mark would end up inside a solid object like a tree trunk, the mark is made immediately behind the tree. Same situation here.

Yea, its called stand and deliver. :D


What am I throwing? My mini? :cool:

That's kind of a gray call Chuck. 803.08 is used when a disc is above the playing surface and in my hypothetical it is not. I can see where there is presidence in marking behind a solid object and in that case and it could be stretched I guess to include my situation. I will use this the next time I want to throw a disc that is against an obstacle and see if anyone calls me on it. ;)

Read 803.08A. When the mark would end up inside a solid object like a tree trunk, the mark is made immediately behind the tree. Same situation here.



No, he's on the playing surface in this case. That rule addresses discs above the playing surface.

There's no direct reference that I can find. Ken could try what he's suggested, but I think it would be safer from a compliance standpoint to use the thrown disc as the marker in this case.

803.01F on Fairness easily covers the logical extension of the situation.

Perhaps. That would require that you extend the "lie inside a tree or other solid obstacle" concept to a situation where a mark would be inside a tree or solid obstacle. I see that as a valid comparison, argument, or extension, but I could also envision that being a debate on the course. My solution eliminates any possible debate.

My solution eliminates any possible debate.

Except that he only has one disc left and that's on the ground.

isnt it within the rules to borrow a disc from a fellow player..if someone had lost all but 1 of there disc during a round they would deff. be hurting already and most players wouldnt blink to loan this person a disc .for the shot if not the rest of the round..this doesnt really answer the question but would be a good thing to know if you were in that situation

Frankly, I'd probably rather play from behind the disc on the ground if another one were available as a loaner to throw. However, this situation of a disc up against a fence or trunk has been handled countless times by just putting the mini vertically against the object with the back edge of it touching the playing surface. You also have 30cm behind the "true" mark so even if the mini is placed flat on the ground just for L/R reference, you'll still have 30cm minus the width of the mini to place your foot.

My solution eliminates any possible debate.

Except that he only has one disc left and that's on the ground.



That's not a debate. That's poor planning.

My solution eliminates any possible debate.

Except that he only has one disc left and that's on the ground.



That's not a debate. That's poor planning.



Or a bad case of Tin Cupping on a previous hole. :)

Well, I did say hypothetical. I carry 18 with another dozen or so in the car so the chances of it being my last disc are pretty slim.

BUT me sliding my disc up to a tree and that disc happening to be the disc I know exactly how I could use on the next throw to set up a birdie is quite possible. Just pains me to use it as a marker when I could use it for a nice layup instead. I've got quite a few "unique" discs in my bag that I do not have another that does the same job which is why it is in my bag to begin with.

Not being able to mark my lie shouldn't be a punishment because the rules for marking a lie do not include the situation.

The 'situation' is just getting silly.