Gripe No. 59: Standing water on disc golf courses

The less water with my disc golf, the better.

I’m not including what’s in my water bottle, obviously.

Water hazards mean high scores – and lost discs, as well. Wet grass results in constant, obsessive-compulsive disc-drying. Thunderstorms could even cancel a round altogether.

My least favorite of the wet stuff, though?

Standing water.

It’s max-level annoying.

And usually attributed to one of the following:

• Rain.
• Broken pipes.
• Poor drainage.
• Faulty sprinklers.
• Divine malfeasance.

Whatever the root cause, the grievance is the same: Lots of water where it shouldn’t be. If your disc finds it, frustration ensues. The good news, however, is that a disc in the middle of standing water doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get your feet wet to throw your upcoming shot.

To help clarify, here’s PDGA Rule No. 806.03.A:

“A casual area is casual water, or any area specifically designated as a casual area by the Director before the round. Casual water is any body of water that is in-bounds and has not been explicitly declared by the Director to be in play.”

* Note: If confused, “in play” means a TD can declare some in-bounds water as not casual.

Basically, if you want to throw or putt from an oversized puddle, you’ve got the green light. Strategically, doing so might make sense. Here’s JohnE McCray putting that on full display:

However, if you’d rather take relief directly away from the basket along the line of play until your lie is no longer submerged in water, this can be done, as well – and without a penalty stroke.

But with standing water, score is only part of the perturbance. Water where it’s not designed to be is an inconvenience. For example, you might not choose to putt from standing water, but your disc is still there. Regardless of what the PDGA rules say, somebody’s got to go get it …

You.

And even if you have an extendible disc retriever in your bag, depending on how long the water’s been festering under the sun, it might well be murky. It’s never happened to me, but I’ve seen a guy unwilling to remove his socks and shoes lose a disc in essentially a big, dirty puddle.

That’s madness.

Also, standing water seems to serve as a breeding ground for every disc golfer’s arch-rival – mosquitos. These microscopic monsters thrive on fearful blood. Or, in other words, mine.

Lastly, I don’t know what it is, but standing water on disc golf courses seems to always be located in the worst-possible places. You’re familiar with the main culprits: key landing zones, the area surrounding the basket, immediately in front of the teepad, etc. It’s all a royal mess.

The good (-ish) news?

Water evaporates.

However, today’s standing water is tomorrow’s ACL-shredding mud pit.

Standing water truly is the “gift” that keeps on giving.

Thanks, but no thanks.

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Editor’s Suggestions:

• No forehand? No problem: Buy (and bag) a Rollo
• Long live the local, brick-and-mortar disc golf shop
• Review: The PuttConfidently MP (Mini Pocket) Apparel Hat

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