I’ve got no business working as an on-course official at a major or anything …
But I know enough PDGA basics to sound smart during a casual round with idiots.
Interested in sounding semi-competent, as well?
Know the “abandoned throw” rule.
The abandoned throw rule allows players to discard a throw they don’t like – you can ALWAYS do this. And there’s no limit to how many times you can exercise this right during a round. It’s by no means an all-out do-over, though. Should you choose to “abandon” your previous shot, you’ll rethrow from the exact same lie – but with a penalty stroke added to your tally.
Apart from the penalty stroke, it’s as if the original throw never took place …
Pretty cool.
Yes, the instantly added stroke sucks, but there are instances in which taking one would be better than the prospect of continuing a hole from your next lie – here are three common ones:
- Instance No. 1 – Your throw didn’t work out so hot. In fact, it’s so cold, you’re more likely to salvage a par or bogey (or double-bogey) from your previous, more favorable lie. This is usually the result of throwing into rough so thick that advancing the disc up the fairway is all but impossible. As such, might as well swallow the hand-slap stroke.
- Instance No. 2 – You see this used when putting with some sort of regularity on the Pro Tour. Be it caused by problematic OB, the slope of the green or a mega-nasty rollaway, it’s possible you’d be better served stomaching the penalty stroke and taking a second stab at your original putt. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s enough of a thing to notice.
- Instance No. 3 – Rollaways. And I’m not talking about your grandma’s rollaways, either. Whether off the tee, during an approach or inside circle one, I’m talking about the kind of rollaways that have you questioning the existence of a higher power – take the penalty.
Also, two more interesting tidbits for your learning pleasure …
First, if you throw OB or find your disc stuck in a tree when the two-meter rule is in effect, those penalties don’t override the abandoned throw rule – you can still rethrow from your original lie. Regardless, a stroke will be added to your score, so it doesn’t matter one way or the other.
Remember ….
You abandoned the throw: The penalties attached to it don’t count.
And second, let’s say you throw a shot, pick up your mini marker and later decide you’d like to abandon the throw. As backwards as it sounds, you CAN do this. To do it, you’ll need your group to approximate the lie of the abandoned throw. From there, you’ll re-mark and rethrow your shot.
It’s a simple rule, but it’s one you’ll want to take advantage of when the opportunity is right …
Don’t leave home without it.
Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
Editor’s Suggestions:
- Disc golf: Innova’s top 5 DX stamps
- The PDGA needs to change the name of its POY award
- Gripe No. 14: Losing golf discs (that are clearly visible)
Real quick, if you happen to buy something through a link in this article, there’s a chance we’ll get a small share of the sale. It’s how we keep the lights on. To learn more, click here.
