Hi -- I'm curious how other courses have marked OB. We will have a fair amount of it at our new course in Golden Gate Park and have proposed doing it like this:
http://www.sfdiscgolf.net/construction/docs/OB%20Marker%20Detail.pdf

but are open to less labor intensive (but relatively vandal proof) ideas.

Thanks in advance for any useful suggestions.

While "approximate" OB like stones or posts work fine for recreational and even league play, you'll need a string, rope or paint line to mark it properly for PDGA play. So, if you're going to use markers in the ground, I would suggest using something that you can easily attach a line for tournaments or will at least hold the line reasonably taut against it.

Chuck a discussion in another forum, i posted a link to your above statement on marking OB. the quote below was one reply. i tried to reply but i think your weighing in on it might get a better hearing. how would you respond to it?


They use stakes in real golf to mark OB. Is the PDGA telling us we are'nt bright enough to tell whether a disc is OB by using stakes?

I would say that if you look closely during PGA events, they have painted lines between the stakes for their million dollar sanctioned competitions. I'm just suggesting we follow ball golf in this regard where we likewise use string or paint for our sanctioned events, especially A-tier and higher.

The you-know-what with that !!! I have too much OB to string or paint at Renny. I think that a group of 3-4 players can determine whether or not a disc is OB if there are stakes every 12'-16' or so. That is my less than genious opinon. Don't make me come up there to Minnesota to take you on dude! ;)

I didn't realize you felt that all of the temporary rope at Winthrop is wasted for USDGC? Stakes may be better than nothing but is still less professional for major events. I'm pretty sure there hasn't been an unpainted or unstrung OB line (that wasn't already a "natural" grass/cement/water line) at Pro or Am Worlds for the past several years.

I realize it's almost impossible to maintain string or paint on public courses. That's why the recommendation is only to produce an unbroken line for A-tier and higher. We've already been staking and roping less well defined marsh areas at Highbridge to prepare for Worlds. In fact, players can get their name and PDGA number on a permanent OB stake as a sponsor/contributor to the project for just $10. My toughest challenge is marking the OB interface between a gravel road and grass. No great solutions for that one so far short of a lot of paint.

In the past we have used string and stakes during PDGA tournaments. That's easy enough. But as has been pointed out that's pretty much impossible to maintain during regular play. .

That's the point that's been made...casual play, even local tourneys/leagues/minis where most are familiar with the OB, it's not really important to have more than the stakes, rocks, or other intermittent markers, and depend on comraderie to keep things honest. For any kind of a "real" tournament, though, something more substantial needs to be used. It's easy enough to find an athletic field sprayer and the paint isn't all that expensive. And, it's usually gone in a couple of mowings, so the parks people can't yell about it too much. Yellow rope is a pain to keep straight, but it's not really difficult. You're gonna throw a tournament, you gotta do it right.