The Official Rules of Disc Golf (ORDG), the Competition Manual for Disc Golf Events (CM), and the PDGA Tour Standards go through some level of revision each year. The Policy & Compliance team oversees this process, which involves input and ideas from the Rules and Regulations Advisory Committee, Disc Golf Pro Tour employees, and the PDGA Event Support & Training and Operations & Logistics teams. A critical part of this process is making proposed changes available for public comment by members. This process has yielded valuable edits to proposed revisions and changes in direction entirely.

We had our public comment period in June. Both in terms of quantity and quality of responses, it was an unmitigated success, with over 160 comments submitted about the various proposals. Now, we have updates for you about changes made pursuant to your comments and updates to the affected rules. If a proposed rule that was announced in the public comment piece is not listed here, the plan is to implement it for 2025. 

Changes Pursuant to Public Comment

Official Rules of Disc Golf

802.03 Excessive Time - do not implement timeouts for 2025.

The feedback to this proposed change was overwhelmingly negative and raised concerns about whether it would be an effective solution. This proposal will not be implemented for 2025. Instead of implementing this proposed change, PDGA staff will pursue a data-driven approach to the root causes of pace of play issues at large-scale events, with an eye to determining whether the 30-second clock in 802.03 is fit for purpose, or whether some other mechanism is more appropriate for addressing undue delay in play.

813.01 Illegal Disc - allow removal of hotstamps so long as the disc remains in spec.

As several commenters pointed out, hotstamps should also be removable. Additionally, the Technical Standards Working Group has struck the prohibition on etching, carving, or engraving.

B. Allowed modifications to a disc after production are limited to: 

1. Wear and tear from usage during play; 

2. Moderate sanding to address wear and tear or small molding imperfections; 

3. Marking with dye or permanent marker ink; 

4. Applying graphics via hot stamp, ink printing, or dye that adheres to the approved specifications for that disc model; 

5. Removing graphics in a manner that adheres to the approved specifications for that disc model. 

 

C. Other modifications to a disc after production make the disc illegal, including but not limited to:

1. Modifying the disc in a way that alters its original flight characteristics;

2. Excessively sanding the disc;

3. Etching, carving, or engraving the disc;

3. 4. Adding a material of a detectable thickness such as paint.

4. 5. Intentionally deforming a disc such that it is not in a circular, saucer-like configuration.

Competition Manual for Disc Golf Events

1.05 Practice Rounds, Beginning Play, Late Arrivals and 1.07 Suspension of Play - specify number of blasts if a horn is used.

This adds more useful context for these sections and retains the various numbers of horn blasts that have become standard for these various signals.

1.05.B.1.a. The two-minute signal is a notification to all players that practice has ceased, and that all PDGA rules and regulations are in force, and that the Tournament Director intends to begin play in two minutes.

i. The two-minute signal shall be sounded by the Tournament Director or designated Tournament Official by a method that informs all players on the course.

ii. If a horn is used, the signal is sounded by two blasts.

b. The start signal is a notification to all players that play has begun.

i. The start signal shall be sounded by the Tournament Director or designated Tournament Official by a method that informs all players on the course. 

ii. If a horn is used, the signal is sounded by one long blast.

1.07.A. If, in the opinion of the Tournament Director, lightning, excessive rain or hazardous conditions exist that make it impractical or dangerous to continue play, the tournament shall be suspended. The signal to suspend play shall be made in the same fashion as the signal to start, but using three short blasts. These blasts should be repeated at least once within one minute and the Tournament Director should make any necessary efforts to ensure all groups can hear the signal.  

1. The signal to suspend play is a notification to all players that play has been suspended.  

2. The signal to suspend play shall be sounded by the Tournament Director or designated Tournament Official by a method that informs all players.  

3. If a horn is used, the signal is sounded by three blasts. 

4. After 60 seconds, the signal to suspend must be sounded a second time. 

1.12 Tournament Officials – Clarify the language about spotters.

Some commenters expressed confusion about whether a Tournament Spotter was always an official or not. This change makes it clearer: a spotter is only an official if they meet the criteria and are appointed as such by the TD. 

G. The Tournament Director may empower volunteers to act as spotters for a specific spotting purpose, but Generally, the ruling of a Tournament Spotter (see 801.02.H) spotter does not supersede the ruling of the group. However, the Tournament Director may grant Tournament Spotters spotters who are Certified Officials limited authority to act as a Tournament Official for one or more specific types of ruling, such as determining where a disc was last in-bounds. 

2.01 Qualifications – Clean up language. 

This provision is intended to prevent players without PDGA numbers - meaning someone who has never joined the PDGA - from competing in divisions where their skill clearly exceeds the prescribed ratings limit. In other words, if a player without a PDGA number whom a TD knows to be roughly an 870-880-rated player, skill-wise, signs up for MA4, the TD should be able to place them in MA3 based on that knowledge. The prior version was overbroad and arguably allowed TDs to force a player without a PDGA number to compete in a Professional division or deny them entry to an appropriate age-based division. By expressly limiting the effect of the rule to ratings-based divisions, the revised version accomplishes the original intent of the change. This does not apply to players with a PDGA number who do not yet have a rating.

M. PDGA members, whether current or not, must be allowed to play in any division offered by the Tournament Director that they are eligible for. All local rules which force a player to move up divisions based on previous performance are invalid and are not applicable at PDGA-sanctioned events.  

N. When an event offers ratings-based divisions (MA2, MA3, MA4, FA2, FA3. FA4, RAH, RAD, RAE, RAF, RAG), Tournament Directors may determine in which of those divisions players without a PDGA number are eligible to play based on knowledge of their demonstrated skill and ability. For all other divisions, players without a PDGA number are treated the same as PDGA members (see 2.01.M). 

2.05 True Amateur - Edit to allow TDs to implement a trophy deadline/cutoff. 

C. Each division must pay out a minimum number of trophies as listed below. TDs may offer more trophies than the minimum at their discretion. For the purposes of acquiring and awarding trophies, TDs may specify a cutoff date for determining how many trophies each division will get, so long as that date is no more than two weeks prior to the start of competition. 

4.04 Player Code of Conduct – Needs to account for semis and finals as well as potential playoffs. 

B.4. No ripped shirts, shorts, or pants are allowed on the course. This includes unhemmed garments, or garments with torn or cut “vents” at the shirt collar. Clothing that becomes stained or damaged during a round is acceptable for the remainder of that round. For the purposes of this provision, semifinals and finals are counted together as a single round, as are final rounds and playoffs for first place. 

Tour Standards – Add language to restroom provision regarding cleanliness. 

At PDGA-sanctioned events, bathrooms are now required. The event must have either a permanent bathroom or temporary bathroom on site at each venue that is: 

• accessible to all players; 
• stocked and serviced and in working order; 
• available no less than 60 minutes prior to the first tee time of the day; and 
• available for the duration of the event schedule and all event-related activities at the course(s) being played; and 
• a reasonable walking distance from the course(s) being played. 

This provision does not apply to Leagues. 

Tournament Directors who must rent facilities to comply with this are allowed to use the bathroom pass-through fee to offset costs. 

Thank you for reading and for being part of a successful revision process!

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