Disc Golf Rules: Tee Pads, OB, Mandos, Putting and Etiquette

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Your drive clips a branch and drops near the creek. Is it in the water? Is the water out of bounds? Your card-mate says “take a meter,” someone else says “re-tee.” Then your putt from just inside the circle rims out, you lean forward to grab it, and the group goes quiet. Disc golf’s rules are friendly, but a few of them catch everyone once. This page explains the disc golf rules in plain words: tee pads and lies, out of bounds, mandatories, the putting rules, scoring, and the disc golf etiquette and course safety that keep a park course fun for everyone.

One rulebook covers the sport: the PDGA Official Rules of Disc Golf, with a Competition Manual for tournaments. The current edition is dated January 1, 2026; the online version on pdga.com is the official one, and major changes usually take effect each January 1. Rules are written in meters; the PDGA’s own conversions are used below. For the big picture of the sport, start at our disc golf hub.

The basics: tee, lie and basket

• Play it where it lies. Play the course as you find it and the disc where it lies, unless a rule allows otherwise. You can’t bend or break branches to make room for your throw; you may move loose debris such as leaves, twigs and pinecones behind your lie.
• Teeing off. The tee is the tee pad, or, without a pad, an area 3 meters (9 feet 10 inches) deep behind the tee line. When you release the disc, at least one supporting point (usually a foot) must be in the teeing area and none outside it. Stepping off the pad after the release is fine.
• Your lie. After the drive, your disc marks your lie, or you place a mini marker disc touching the front of it on the line to the basket. The lie is a 20 by 30 centimeter (8 by 12 inch) spot behind the marker. At release you need one supporting point on that spot and nothing closer to the basket than the back of the marker. That’s what a “foot fault” means in disc golf.
• Order of play. On the first tee, go in scorecard order; after that, the lowest score on the last hole throws first. Once everyone is off the tee, the player farthest from the basket throws next.
• Holing out. On a basket, the hole is done when your disc comes to rest supported by the tray or the chains below the chain support. A disc that hits the chains and bounces out doesn’t count, and neither does one sitting on top of the basket.

The penalties you’ll meet most

Situation	Penalty	What you do
Out of bounds (disc completely surrounded by OB; the line is OB)	1 throw	Play from your previous lie, or up to 1 meter (3 feet 3 inches) from where the disc last crossed into OB. A drop zone may also be offered.
Missed mandatory (disc passes the wrong side)	1 throw	Play from the mando’s drop zone, or from your previous lie if there isn’t one.
Lost disc (not found within 3 minutes)	1 throw	Play again from the previous lie (or a lost-disc drop zone). Everyone in the group must help search.
Disc above 2 meters (only if the two-meter rule is announced)	1 throw	Mark the lie on the ground directly below. The rule is off unless the tournament director turns it on.
Hazard area (if announced)	1 throw	Play from where the disc is; the lie doesn’t move.
Casual water and other casual areas	None	Optional free relief straight back on the line of play. In-bounds water is casual unless declared in play.
Stance violation (foot fault)	1 throw	Count the throw and add the penalty.
Practice throw during a round	1 throw	The throw itself doesn’t count.

Unsure whether a disc is OB or lost? You can throw a provisional to save walking back, but you must tell the group you’re starting one, why, and which throw counts in which case. Provisionals aren’t allowed for a possibly missed mandatory. You can also choose to abandon a throw at any time and re-throw from the previous lie for one penalty throw.

Mandatories, explained

A mandatory (or “mando”) is a tree, post or marked line that sets the route your disc must take, usually marked with an arrow showing which side to pass. If part of your disc clearly passes on the wrong side, it’s one penalty throw and you play from the drop zone, or your previous lie if there is none. Many mandos protect something, such as a path, a playground or a neighboring fairway, so treat them as safety rules, not just course design.

Putting rules: the circle

Any throw from within 10 meters (32 feet 10 inches) of the basket, measured from the front of your lie to the base of the target, is a putt. Inside that circle, after you release, you must show full control of your balance behind your marker before you step toward the basket. Falling or stepping forward past your marker is a stance violation and costs one throw, even if the putt goes in. That’s why jump putts and step putts, common for long putts, are only legal from outside the circle, where the normal stance rule applies: one supporting point on the lie at release, nothing in front of the marker.

Putting practice is the fastest way to lower your scores, and it’s easy on the arm. A putter such as the Innova DX Aviar, which Innova calls the most popular putter in the sport, plus a portable basket like the MVP Black Hole Pro (24 chains, built to PDGA height and size rules, per the maker) gets you dozens of putts a night in the backyard. More picks on our disc golf gear page.

Scoring, time and equipment

• Your score: every throw plus penalty throws. In tournaments, every player keeps a scorecard for the whole group, and cards must be submitted within 30 minutes of finishing; a late or wrong card adds two penalty throws.
• Pace of play: 30 seconds to throw from the tee, a drop zone or within 20 meters of the basket, and 45 seconds from anywhere else, once the area is clear. First time over: a warning; after that, one penalty throw.
• Group decisions: when it’s unclear whether a disc is in or out, the group votes (the thrower only breaks a tie). Players call rules on each other and on themselves.
• Legal discs: discs must be PDGA-approved. Cracked discs, discs with holes and discs changed to alter their flight are illegal (two penalty throws). Every disc must be identifiably marked, so write your name, and a phone number, on each one.
• Adaptive play: Appendix F of the rules adapts them for players using wheelchairs and other propelled mobility devices; for example, the device’s wheels count as supporting points.

In a casual round, most groups play by the spirit of these rules and agree before teeing off on things like OB and mandos. In any PDGA-sanctioned event or league, the full rules apply, plus whatever the tournament director announces at the players’ meeting. Leagues and tournaments are covered on our leagues and associations page.

Disc golf etiquette: the courtesy rules

Etiquette is written right into the rulebook (Rule 812). A first courtesy violation gets a warning; each one after that in the same round costs a penalty throw. You must not:

• Throw if the throw might injure someone or distract another player.
• Shout (except to warn someone who might be hit), curse, or kick or throw equipment.
• Move or talk while someone is throwing, or walk ahead of the player who is farthest away.
• Litter (cigarette butts included) or let your smoke bother other players.

And you must help look for lost discs, move your bag when asked, keep score properly and watch the others throw. Off the card, the PDGA’s Disc Golfer’s Code sums it up in three lines: Play Smart, Respect the Course (follow posted rules, no litter, graffiti or abuse of equipment or plants) and Represent the Sport (be positive and teach others). Let faster groups play through on casual rounds, and remember many courses share a park with walkers, dogs and kids.

Course safety

• Never throw blind. The Disc Golfer’s Code says never throw into a blind area or when people are within range; use a spotter on blind holes. If a disc heads toward anyone, shout a loud warning; “Fore!” works.
• Lightning: the National Athletic Trainers’ Association says “When thunder roars, go indoors,” and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder. A tournament may suspend play, but you don’t need to wait for a siren to leave a wooded course.
• Searching the rough: watch your footing on slopes and roots, and check for ticks after a round. The CDC suggests EPA-registered repellent and clothing treated with 0.5% permethrin; a spray like Sawyer Premium Permethrin is made for treating clothing and gear.
• Kids: in PDGA events, players 12 and under (and anyone under 13) must have a parent or guardian with them. On any course, keep young children well behind the thrower. More in our youth disc golf guide.

If someone is hit in the head by a disc or takes a fall, stop and check on them. The CDC’s HEADS UP advice: anyone with signs of a concussion stops for the day and sees a healthcare provider. Our disc golf injuries page covers what to watch for.

Disc golf rules FAQs

What is the penalty for out of bounds in disc golf?

One penalty throw. You then play from your previous lie or from up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) from where the disc last crossed into out of bounds, or from a drop zone if the tournament director offers one.

Can you jump putt inside the circle?

No. Within 10 meters of the basket, you must show balance behind your marker after releasing a putt, so a jump or step through the marker is a stance violation worth one penalty throw. From outside the circle, jump and step putts are legal.

How long can you look for a lost disc?

Three minutes after you reach the area where it’s thought to be. After that it’s declared lost: one penalty throw and you play from the previous lie, even if someone finds it a minute later.

Does a disc on top of the basket count?

No. To complete the hole, the disc must come to rest supported by the tray or by the chains below the chain support. A disc on top isn’t holed out, though it isn’t penalized under the two-meter rule either.

Do I need a mini marker disc?

Not always. You can play from where your thrown disc lies, or mark it with a mini placed touching the front of the disc. You need a mini when the disc must be moved, such as after out-of-bounds or relief. Many starter sets include one.