Issues of “excessive time” are a problem in disc golf. With players required to govern themselves, infractions are rarely called. To speak up when a violation occurs is to instantly make things awkward – to disrupt the “good vibes” competitive disc golfers seek to maintain.
The sport’s mental.
It makes sense.
If excessive time is a new concept for you, here’s the skinny of it: During PDGA-sanctioned rounds of disc golf, players have 30 seconds to throw a shot. That goes for everything: a distance drive, fairway drive, short approach and putt. You’ve got 30 seconds to toss – end of story.
* Note: To read the exact language the PDGA uses to define the rule, click here.
The problem?
Many players take more.
WAY more.
Year after year, proposals for the excessive-time dilemma are put forth, as it’s a problem that’s not going away anytime soon. Recently, the 2024 DGPT season saw the topic resurface during the Memorial Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona. During coverage of the event, Terry Miller repeatedly filmed Jacob “Cupcake” Courtis taking well over the allotted 30 seconds to putt.
It was hard to watch.
So here …
Watch it.
It was in response to this that I saw one of the most brilliant remedies proposed on Twitter.
Or X, if you prefer.
Check it out:
Create a mini with a 30 second timer that turns on when you set it down and lights up brightly at the 30sec mark. Then the mini is calling out players not card mates…. Problem Solved!
— CooperMan (@Coop_MTU) March 9, 2024
I’ve used the B-word once, but I’ll gladly go back to it again …
Brilliant.
I understand that this is an idea that would require some intentional forethought and planning to make happen. To date, this kind of mini marker doesn’t exist. Concepts, designs, prototypes and manufacturing take time – and money, too. But making this a reality would hardly require the expertise of Tony Stark. Sit-down eateries have been using restaurant pagers for decades …
This is essentially the same thing.
Only this time, the vibration and flashing lights indicate that your time’s up to putt – not that “Smith, party of six” now has a clean table and a fresh basket of bread waiting for them.
This plan is ingenious for a few reasons:
- No official is needed.
- Players don’t make the call.
- Rounds will run more smoothly.
- Disc golf can bury the issue – and for good.
No, not all issues …
But THIS issue, at least.
The only downside that comes to mind is that, excluding tap-ins, disc golfers would be required to use a mini at all times. Gone would be the days of Hailey King or Paul McBeth simply putting from behind an original lie. Still, this would be a simple adjustment to make – and well worth it.
The 24-second shot clock saved the NBA in 1954.
This could do the same thing for disc golf.
I can see it now …
Did you somehow qualify for a Tour Card and all the perks one has to offer? Congrats: When it arrives in the mail a few days later, automatically, your egg-timer mini should be in there, too.
Good to go.
I love out-of-the-box solutions for complex problems.
This feels like one.
Make it happen, Jeff Spring.
Have anything to add? Take to X to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
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Wow that’s a really good idea. Although I’ve often wondered why they don’t just have a volunteer on each hole with a shot clock and a rule book. It’s ridiculous to have the people you’re playing against calling fouls. I can’t think of another sport that does that. I understand the money is not there but volunteers for the big tournaments should be plentiful. Obviously the blinking mini would solve the time problem but there’s still other fouls that can be contentious with your card mates
There are officials in ball golf, but isn’t it expected that the players will officiate themselves, as well?
If I’m not mistaken, players make calls, and field officials act as arbiters …
I might be making that up, though. Haha.
Well you may have me on that one, I don’t play ball golf. Well other than mini golf which I will go out of my way to play a new course. So I guess I’m not familiar with the rules. My bad. I just thought that something that you pay a hundred plus dollars a round for would have some form of officiating. For amateur disc golf tournaments I can see where there’s no possibility of an official on each hole. But on the pro tour you got to think it’s doable. Anyone who calls a fault on me during a round completely sinks my round. I can deal with pressure but I don’t like conflict
Yeah, it’s tough …
The official option is there.
But they’d need to be volunteers: And 18 more of them with LOTS of pressure on them.
And given what Nikko did a couple of years back in Europe, forcing unpaid volunteers to willingly enter the “danger zone” is tough.
So there are issues, but it’s definitely an option on the table 🙂
Hoping for the best, whatever happens!
(also, mini golf dominates – haha)
I’ll happily volunteer to officiate any of Nikko’s rounds! That really rubbed me the wrong way. I mean there’s no need to be a jerk, dude!
Better you than me, Kurt 😉