Revised September 1, 2025

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Introduction

The Simplified Rules of Disc Golf are simplified both in terms of their language and their contents. Some rules that players are familiar with from the Official Rules of Disc Golf are not in the Simplified Rules. Therefore, this ruleset is not to be used at most PDGA-sanctioned events.

These rules are intended to help develop disc golf in new places by making it easier to understand and translate into different languages. They provide a simpler ruleset for events tailored to beginners or for unsanctioned events that would like to use standardized rules but find the Official Rules too complex.

To use the Simplified Rules at a PDGA-sanctioned event, contact PDGA Event Support ([email protected]) and request an event waiver. Sanctioned events using the Simplified Rules carry an X designation under Competition Manual 5.10.A.5.

800 Description of the Game

Disc golf is a game played very much like golf, except players throw a flying disc instead of hitting a ball with a club. Like golf, a round of disc golf consists of a series of holes, usually 18. For each hole, players start at the teeing area and finish at the target. They throw the disc, then throw it again from where the disc comes to rest. They do this until the disc comes to rest in the target. Then they go to the teeing area for the next hole. Their score for the hole is the number of times they threw the disc (plus any penalties). Their score for the round is the sum of all their hole scores. The lowest score wins.

801 Application of the Rules

Players compete in a group. The player and the group need to enforce the rules on themselves and each other. Violations require two players to agree that the violation took place. Violations usually involve something a player did or did not do. Determinations require a majority of the group. Determinations usually involve how a disc flew or where it landed.

Players who break the rules get one or more penalties, depending on the rule. A penalty adds a throw to the player’s score for the hole. For example, a player who throws three times and gets one penalty scores a four on that hole.

If a player disagrees with a call and there is an event director, they can appeal to that person. In this case, calls by the director are final.

Sometimes, something might happen that isn’t covered by the rules. In that case, players should use similar rules to figure out a fair outcome.

802 Throwing

Most of the time, players throw from a lie. A lie is an area behind the thrown disc that is about the size of a standard sheet of paper with the short edge touching the disc. The lie can be marked by the thrown disc or a mini marker.

When players throw from a lie, they need to have their foot or other body part touching the lie when they release the disc. They can’t have any body parts touching in front of the lie when they release the disc.

It’s a little different when players are throwing from the teeing area or drop zone. The teeing area or drop zone can vary in size. When players throw from a teeing area or drop zone, they need to have their foot or other body part touching the teeing area when they release the disc. They can’t have any body parts touching something outside the teeing area or drop zone.

A player who breaks these rules gets a penalty.

The player who is farthest from the target throws next. When players are all throwing from the teeing area, the player who did better on the most recent hole throws first.

803 Obstacles and Relief

Generally, players can’t move obstacles. They must play the disc as it lies and play the course as it is. Players who move obstacles get a penalty.

Players are not supposed to alter or damage the course: for example, by breaking off branches. Players who do this get two penalties and might also get disqualified.

There are some exceptions. Players can move casual obstacles behind their lie. These are small, easily movable things lying on the ground, like pinecones, small rocks, and twigs. Big obstacles, or obstacles that are stuck in the ground, are not casual obstacles.

Players can also get relief from some obstacles. This means that they get to move their lie without getting a penalty. There are three ways this can happen.

First, a disc might land near something dangerous, like an insect or animal that could hurt the player. If this happens, the player can move their lie backward along the line of play to a safe spot. The line of play is an invisible line drawn between the target and the place where the player’s disc landed.

Second, a disc might land inside or under an obstacle. If this happens, and if the player can’t make a legal stance because of it, the player can mark a new lie. The player should mark their lie on the line of play right behind the obstacle.

Finally, a player can take relief any time they like by moving their lie backward along the line of play. This relief costs the player a penalty but isn’t considered to be breaking the rules.

804 Regulated Routes

Some courses use mandatory routes, also called “mandos.” Mandos create planes — like an invisible sheet of glass — that a thrown disc can’t break. It doesn’t matter which direction the disc is going when it breaks the plane. If a disc does break the plane, the thrower goes to the marked drop zone with a penalty. If there’s no drop zone, they throw from their previous lie with a penalty.

805 Regulated Positions

When a disc comes to rest, that’s its position. The position of the disc marks the player’s lie. A disc that’s landed but is moving because of wind or water currents is considered at rest.

If a disc gets stuck in a tree branch or is otherwise above the ground, its position is on the ground directly below the disc. If it’s stuck in a hole or otherwise below the ground, it’s the reverse. If the disc breaks, the biggest piece counts as the disc.

If a player can’t find their thrown disc, the whole group looks for it. After three minutes of looking, the disc is lost. When a disc is lost, the player goes back to their previous lie (or the drop zone, if there is one) and throws with a penalty. For example, if a player’s drive is a lost disc, they re-tee and are throwing their third shot. Once a disc is lost, it doesn’t matter if the group finds the disc later.

If the disc gets lost in an OB area, it’s played as OB instead of a lost disc.

806 Regulated Areas

Regulated areas are places on the course with special rules. There are five kinds of regulated areas: Putting Area, Out-of-Bounds, Casual Area, Required Relief Area, and Hazard.

The putting area is 10m (approximately 33ft) in radius, measured from the base of the basket. If the front of your lie is in the putting area, you can’t follow through when you putt. That means no jump, step, or falling putts. Instead, you must stay balanced behind your lie after making the putt before you move forward. If you don’t, the throw counts and you get a penalty.

The easiest way to explain the rest of the regulated areas is with this chart that shows what happens if your disc lands in one of these areas:

807 Completing the Hole

When a thrown disc comes to rest supported by the basket’s chains or tray, even if it’s stuck in the side of the tray, the player has finished the hole. Touching or slapping the chains with the disc doesn’t count. A disc that lands on top of the basket doesn’t count. If the course uses objects instead, the disc must just hit the marked target area.

808 Scoring

All players keep score for everyone in the group. Players record the scores after each hole. The score is a whole number, such as “three.” Saying “plus one” or “birdie” isn’t a score. The player’s score is all their throws plus any penalties.

At the end of the round, the group looks at everyone’s scores to make sure they match. Then they turn in their scorecards so the TD can make sure scores are correct. TDs can correct scorecards by adding or subtracting penalties up until the event is over. After that, the scores stand, even if errors are discovered later.

809 Other Throws

There are three other kinds of throws a player might choose to make: abandoned throw, provisional throw, and practice throw. We’re not going to use provisional throws in these rules, so we will stick to the other two.

When a player chooses to abandon a throw, it means they want to re-throw from their previous lie (or a drop zone, if available). The abandoned throw still counts, and the player gets a penalty. For example, if a player abandons their first throw, they are throwing their third shot from the previous lie.

A practice throw is just what it sounds like. It’s a throw that the player isn’t making for the purposes of competition. If a player takes a practice throw, the throw doesn’t count, but the player gets a penalty. A throw that a player makes that goes more than 5m in the air and isn’t a competitive throw is a practice throw, too.

A drop isn’t a practice throw. A player tossing a disc back to their bag or another player isn’t a practice throw if it doesn’t travel more than 5m (about 16ft) in the air.

810 Interference

Interference can happen before or after a disc comes to rest. Unintentional interference doesn’t get a penalty in most cases. If it happens while the disc is flying, you play from where the disc comes to rest. If it happens to a disc at rest, the group just places the disc back where it was before the interference. If someone else’s disc is on your lie, you can move it and then put it back after you throw.

If a player interferes with their own disc, the player needs to re-throw from their previous lie with a penalty. This includes a disc that hits your own bag. Asking someone else to interfere with your disc for you is the same as doing it yourself.

If a player intentionally interferes with someone else’s disc by hitting or tipping a thrown disc or moving or hiding a disc at rest, they get two penalties. There’s an exception for interfering with a disc to prevent injury.

811 Misplay

Misplay is when a player plays the course in the wrong way. There are several kinds of misplay. A player who misplays takes either one penalty, two penalties, or a score of par for the hole plus four throws.

A player takes one penalty for misplay when they play from an incorrect lie – including starting on the wrong hole – and realize it before throwing their next shot.

A player takes two penalties if they play an incorrect hole or an extra hole, but the throws made on those holes do not count. They also take two penalties plus one throw for holing out if they don’t complete a hole they’re supposed to play. They also take two penalties for playing one or more holes they’re supposed to play, but in the wrong order.

A player takes par plus four if they aren’t at a hole in time to tee off, if they go missing during a hole (other than bathroom breaks), or if they forget to play a hole they’re supposed to play.

812 Courtesy

Players shouldn’t distract each other by making noise or moving around when someone’s throwing. They shouldn’t throw things in anger or out of the regular playing order. They shouldn’t litter or leave things where they can interfere with a disc. They shouldn’t smoke cigarettes without permission of their group.

Players should help find discs and move their equipment when they’re asked. They should keep score properly and watch the other players in their group to make sure the rules are being enforced.

Players who don’t follow these rules have committed a violation. First, they get a warning. If they do it again in the same round, they get a penalty. Too many courtesy violations can result in disqualification, regardless of whether they’re in the same round.

813 Equipment

Players must use PDGA-approved discs. At night or in the snow, a TD can allow players to put lights, ribbons, or other things on the disc to help find them.

Players can't use things that throw the disc for them or help them throw the disc. Players can wear gloves or tape, put grip aids on their hands (like chalk or dirt), and they can wear medical devices. They can also put down a towel or thin pad under their supporting point.

A player who breaks these rules gets two penalties.