Official PDGA Official

[el_duder]

Home from work sick today. Besides sleeping, I decided to take the officials exam... PASSED.

Only missed one, and I'm kind of confused as to why I missed it or if my interpretation was just too strict. I'm not sure if discussing the questions on the exam is inappropriate in the forum. Perhaps someone can let me know because I would like to get another opinion on the scenario.

Note: It looks like exam questions are randomly generated from a pool of questions, so there is the possibility that it will show up on another forum users official exam.

[_MTL_]

The rules test is a test of interpretation of the rules, not knowledge of them.

I don't think sharing a scenario is a bad thing at all.

[el_duder]

You're probably right.

Basically, the situation was where one player putts out and while picking up his disc (from the basket) he also picks up another players disc (on ground but a drop in) and tosses it to the other player saying it's a "gimmie." I don't recall the exact options, but I called it as second player places his disc back and putts out and first player gets a stroke penalty. The correct answer was replace the disc, putt out, move on, no penalties. Rule 803.07 B.

I figured that this was a violation of 803.07 C. I'd say the player that awarded the "gimmie" clearly intentionally moved the other players disc.

Also according to 803.07 C the offending player would actually get a 2 stroke penalty not a 1 stroke, but there wasn't an option where the player got stroked 2.

I could see it as being a pretty harsh penalty in that situation but I think it would certainly deter anyone from awarding a "gimmie" in all cases.

Thoughts?

[JC17393]

There is no 803.07 C in the rule book anymore. If the test is citing such a rule, the test is out-dated. (not your fault/problem, it's the PDGA's)

And that particular question was reported to the RC as being a poor one way back when the test was first implemented after the 2011 rules update. Nice to see it hasn't been fixed after two years AND another rules update.

[el_duder]

That's the problem then. I used the older rulebook!

To clarify, the test didn't cite C, the test cited B when I got the correction. I was using C to make my decision. Now I'm off to find the new rule book.

[el_duder]

Huh, I just went looking for the updated rulebook and scanning the updates, I should have gotten another one wrong. It seems the exam might have a mix of answers based on different rulebooks.

The other question regarded how long until a scorecard is considered late. I answered 25 minutes according to the old book, but it looks like it is now 30 minutes.

[Captain Bad]

The current Official's Exam is based on the 2011 Rulebook. So, yes, the test is outdated .

Unless you post the original question and answer choices it's tough to say for sure, but I get the feeling you misinterpreted which player the question was referring to. If the correct answer cited 803.07B, it sounds to me like the question was asking what the player whose disc was moved should do in this situation, not what penalties should be given to the player that did the moving.

[Captain Bad]

Originally Posted by el_duder

Huh, I just went looking for the updated rulebook and scanning the updates, I should have gotten another one wrong. It seems the exam might have a mix of answers based on different rulebooks.

The other question regarded how long until a scorecard is considered late. I answered 25 minutes according to the old book, but it looks like it is now 30 minutes.

The correct answer, according to my 2011 Rulebook, is 25 minutes. I do believe that has been changed to 30 minutes in the 2013 Rulebook.

[jongoff09]

Originally Posted by Captain Bad

The current Official's Exam is based on the 2011 Rulebook. So, yes, the test is outdated

This, it's pretty hard not to see that because...

Please select your answers below. The test is not timed and is open book. The subject matter will cover both the 2011 PDGA Official Rules of Play and the 2011 PDGA Competition Manual.

At least one question I remember would have had a different answer if it was the new one. Edit: the scorecard time is the one I was thinking of.

You can view the test at any time-Here is the actual question.

Question XX: Disc Moved

Player A is parked under the basket, and player B putts out, and picks up player A’s disc saying 'That’s a gimme' and hands the disc to player A. How should player A proceed?

A) Player A moves to the next hole and counts the gimme on his score.
B) Player A puts the disc back to its approximate location and throws their next shot with no penalty.
C) Player A puts the disc back to its approximate location and throws their next shot. Both Player A and Player B receive a one throw penalty.
D) Player A puts the disc back to its approximate location and throws their next shot with no penalty. However player B gets a one throw penalty.
E) Player A puts the disc back to its approximate location and throws their next shot with no penalty. Player B is disqualified for intentional interference.

Edit II: did you not get an e-mail with the right answer?

[el_duder]

Yeah I did get the email with the correct answer, that's what referenced 803.07 B. I think this situation is intentional interference and under the old rules would be 803.07 C giving player B a two stroke penalty.