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Competition Manual for Disc Golf Events

1.05 Practice Rounds, Beginning Play, Late Arrivals

Last updated: Thursday, January 12, 2023 - 15:00
  1. Players are responsible for scheduling their practice rounds prior to the event. Availability of the course and its tournament set-up for practice rounds may vary (see Tour Standards for details). The course or courses are closed to practice during the tournament and at all other times designated by the Tournament Director.
  2. Two types of starts are used to begin competitive play:
    1. Shotgun Starts (rounds where multiple groups start simultaneously): At a scheduled time, scorecard(s) shall be distributed to the players at Tournament Central. After the scorecards have been distributed, groups shall be given adequate time to reach their assigned holes. A loud noisemaker, such as an air horn, shall be used to indicate that there are two minutes remaining until play starts. The signal shall be a series of two short blasts. At that time, players are to end practice and move promptly to their starting hole’s tee. An extended blast of the noisemaker begins the round and signals the scorekeepers to call the throwing orders.
    2. Staggered Starts or Tee Times (rounds where groups start one after another on a certain hole): The player shall start at the time announced by the Tournament Director. Players are recommended to check in with the starter ten minutes before their tee time. Players may practice until the starter indicates the two-minute signal for their group provided their practice does not distract players on the course. At staggered start events with scheduled tee times, players may practice in any area designated by the Tournament Director until the starter indicates the two-minute signal for their group. When tournament rounds are in progress at a course, that course is unavailable for practice unless the Tournament Director specifies otherwise.
  3. A throw by a player between the two-minute signal and the start of the round shall receive a warning if observed by two or more players or an official. Subsequent throws by the player during this period, if observed by two or more players or an official, shall result in one penalty throw added to the player’s score, regardless of the number of throws.
  4. It is the sole responsibility of the player to know the course rules, be at their starting hole, and be ready to play in time for the start of their round.
  5. Players who are absent for their starting hole or any subsequent hole have committed misplay (see 811.F.5 and 6, Misplay). If a complete round is missed, or if a player does not finish a round, the player may, at the discretion of the Tournament Director, be disqualified.
  6. Late-arriving players, for either Shotgun or Tee Time rounds, are responsible for checking with the TD, Tournament Central, or the Tee Time Starter to learn their correct starting group and are solely responsible for starting play with that playing group or the group created by the TD due to the player’s absence. Failure to do so is a misplay (see 811.F.10, Misplay).
  7. The Tournament Director must provide at least two scorecards to each group, to be kept independently of one another. These scorecards may be of the same medium or of different media. The two scorecards must be reconciled by the group and submitted Each member of the group should be given the opportunity to examine the scorecards and each member of the group must agree on an official scorecard and submit it by whichever method the Tournament Director has designated as the official scoring method for the tournament. Any player who denies the opportunity to another player in the group to examine and verify the official scorecard receives two penalty throws.
  8. Paper scorecards must always be made available to each playing group, regardless of what the Tournament Director has declared to be the official method of scoring.

Outline of Contents

Disc Golf Rules and Standards