Disc Golf Rule Nazi Stories

[Harrishabitat]

I was lucky enough to finally make it back to the Wintertime Open in California last weekend after a 2 year hiatus. This is one of my favorite tournaments to play and it's not for the swag or payouts (basically nothing because of course fees) its because the course is so challenging.

The one major negative on this event (which is the only southern california event I have ever played in since I don't live in the area) is the Rule Nazi's. I have play tournaments overt he last 7 years in over 10 states and nothing even comes close to what I have experienced in SoCal... and the craziest things, it's in the recreational division. I have heard that they don't have that problem in the pro or higher divisions just the lower divisions.

I am all for following the rules, after all it is a sanctioned event and we all payed good money to compete. The issue I have is with the over using and stretching of the rules to try to penalize a player who is playing good.

So in light of this happening to me once again at this amazing tournament I wanted to see if other people had similar experiences at other events around the country.

 

[JC17393]

Having no idea what you think is "over using or stretching of the rules", I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what you're looking for story-wise. Also, I hate with a passion the term "rule nazi".

Maybe an example of something these players were doing that you found objectionable?

 

[ElementZ]

One of the players in my group made me get into a thorn bush to throw my shot...I cut myself up like crazy and didn't talk the rest of the round. It was pretty upsetting...

 

[timj5304]

You could of DNF'ed if you really did not like it that much. Start calling foot faults on guys if they jump putt or tell them they are pussy's and should learn how to really putt before the circle gets stretched to 50 ft.

 

[banknwank]

I am no rule nazi:
Sometimes Offensive. ( often lowercase ) a person who is fanatically dedicated to or seeks to control a specified activity, practice, etc.: a jazz nazi who disdains other forms of music; tobacco nazis trying to ban smoking.

But, I think you could have taken an unplayable, and perhaps another rule fascist would know if that might involve a penalty stroke?

 

[JC17393]

One of the players in my group made me get into a thorn bush to throw my shot...I cut myself up like crazy and didn't talk the rest of the round. It was pretty upsetting...

Could have taken relief or re-thrown from your previous lie...with a one-throw penalty.

You threw it there, why would you expect to not have to throw your next shot from there?

 

[jenb]

Heil Chuck.

 

[Harrishabitat]

Having no idea what you think is "over using or stretching of the rules", I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what you're looking for story-wise. Also, I hate with a passion the term "rule nazi".

Maybe an example of something these players were doing that you found objectionable?

I don't know why the term "rule nazi" would upset you so much but I guess each of us has buttons that we don't like pushed.

In this situation one specific anointed themselves the rules official in the group (and for some weird reason it always happens in this tournament every year and in the rec division). They just went way out of their way to comment all of the time if there was an infraction, subject of discussion or anything they just wanted to impose their will on.

In a few situations that were the most outrageous, final round and I was up by 4 strokes and my drive landed in a bush. I knew I had to get into the bush to establish my lie, once I was in their and setting up my shot they started waving their hands to get my attention to tell me that I was pushing the bush out of my way at that was illegal. Now mind you I was not holding anything out of the way with my hand, nor was I stepping on any branches or sitting on anything I was just establishing my lie with my body and standing straight up. At this point we had already went around the bush (pun intended) on many other situations and I was fed up. I crawled out frustrated and asked what the heck they expected me to do the bush was naturally going to move in some ways since I had to get in their to establish my lie, I eventually crawled back in their and I guess they begrudgingly said it was ok. I went to the TD on the next hole, showed him the bush and explained the situation and he said I was completely ok and I just couldn't step or hold anything out of the way.

The second scenario was with another player. It was a blind shot and we figured it went into the tree. Everyone looked for his disk for a minute or two and finally someone pointed up to the top of this thick tree and said there it is. He marked the lie underneath it and threw. After he walked up the fairway he found his actual disc in another tree. Rule Nazi started spouting every rule in the book, people were in disagreement and everyone was getting animated. We were holding up the group behind us and I walked over and suggested to the player (which was his first tournament) just to take a provisional and play them both out. That of course was argued and everything.

There were other issues in past years with people thinking they knew the rules and tried to enforce them such as trying to tell me I couldn't use my phone to keep score and listen to music... and other "opinion" rules

 

[ElementZ]

Could have taken relief or re-thrown from your previous lie...with a one-throw penalty.

You threw it there, why would you expect to not have to throw your next shot from there?

I wanted to throw from behind the bush, but he made me get in. Idk...he was just kinda a dick about it.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

I don't ever fault somebody for following the rules, a big part of this game is that it is self regulated, if we don't call the rules on each other, nobody will. I have a hard time calling small things on competitors - I don't like to be the bad guy, but sometimes it has to be done. The easiest way to avoid being called for breaking a rule, is to follow the rules, if somebody tries to call a rule improperly, call them on it, carry a rule book, know the rules.

An applicable story. BG Ams, at Hobson, whichever hole it is that takes a 90* turn left out of the woods into the open. Dude tried to call me on a foot fault when I lined up in line with the basket, when compared to the fairway it looks like I'm stepping way in front of my mark, but I wasn't. I pointed that out, he realized his mistake, and I think it created a small amount of tension, but it was all good from there.

 

[tbird888]

I wanted to throw from behind the bush, but he made me get in. Idk...he was just kinda a dick about it.

Was the distance between your lie and your non-thorn bush stance within the rules?

 

[zenbot]

I hope you, at least, got some In-N-Out Burger.

 

[banknwank]

If you are gonna throw the rule book at someone in a situation like this........you could also throw this one. Or just be fascist a hole if that's what turns you on.
803.01 Obstacles And Relief
Last updated: Thursday, July 18, 2013 - 18:19
Obstacles to a Stance or Throwing Motion: With the exception of casual obstacles to a stance as described below, a player is not allowed to move any obstacle on the course. No relief is granted from park equipment (such as signs, trash cans, or picnic tables), which is considered to be part of the course. A player is allowed to request that other people remove themselves and/or their belongings from the player's stance or line of play.
Casual Obstacles to a Stance: A player may obtain relief only from the following obstacles that are on or behind the lie: casual water, loose leaves or debris, broken branches no longer connected to a tree, motor vehicles, harmful insects or animals, players' equipment, people, or any item or area specifically designated by the Director before the round. To obtain relief, the player must remove the obstacle if it is practical to do so. If it is impractical to move the obstacle, the player's lie may be relocated to the nearest lie which is no closer to the target, is on the line of play, and is not more than five meters from the original lie (unless greater casual relief is announced by the Director).
Course equipment may always be restored to its proper working order, including the clearing of obstacles.
A player shall receive one penalty throw, without a warning, for violation of an obstacle or relief rule.
A player who purposely damages any part of the course shall receive two penalty throws, without a warning. The player may also be disqualified from the tournament, in accordance with Section 3.3 of the Competition Manual.
803.02 Optional Relief and Optional Re-throw

Optional Relief. A player may elect at any time to take optional relief. The lie may then be relocated to a new lie which is no closer to the target, and is on the line of play. One penalty throw shall be added to the player's score.
Optional Re-throw. A player may elect at any time to re-throw from the previous lie. The original throw plus one penalty throw shall be counted in the player's score.

Copy and paste feature makes me look smart!

 

[ElementZ]

Was the distance between your lie and your non-thorn bush stance within the rules?

The problem was I didn't really know the rules and didn't realize that people took the sport so seriously back then. It was just a shock. I just wanted to have fun, not cut up my leg.

 

[KRATC]

One of the players in my group made me get into a thorn bush to throw my shot...I cut myself up like crazy and didn't talk the rest of the round. It was pretty upsetting...

In one of my first Rec tournaments, I threw a shot that landed in a thorn bush. It was the best shot I had thrown that round and have me a look for birdie. The bush was about two to three feet tall and about four feet in diameter. The disc was actually resting on top of the bush. One of my card mates insisted that I stand in the bush. It was very hot, as it tends to get in the summer in Ga, so I was wearing shorts. I figured I would take a stroke and take a drop behind the bush(about two feet from where to disc was being held up), still in the line of play, but the card mate insisted. He would not accept that I was willing to take a stroke and told me I had to play from the thorns. So I did. Ripped my shorts, bloodied my legs, and had a miserable time walking the rest of that tournament.

 

[banknwank]

In one of my first Rec tournaments, I threw a shot that landed in a thorn bush. It was the best shot I had thrown that round and have me a look for birdie. The bush was about two to three feet tall and about four feet in diameter. The disc was actually resting on top of the bush. One of my card mates insisted that I stand in the bush. It was very hot, as it tends to get in the summer in Ga, so I was wearing shorts. I figured I would take a stroke and take a drop behind the bush(about two feet from where to disc was being held up), still in the line of play, but the card mate insisted. He would not accept that I was willing to take a stroke and told me I had to play from the thorns. So I did. Ripped my shorts, bloodied my legs, and had a miserable time walking the rest of that tournament.

Wow, you guys have ran into some jerks......but, ignorance to the rules was your own fault. If somebody pulls that **** on me I will have to bust out the rule book, then punch me in the face for being a dick. I am gonna get a rule book , cause I plan on playing some tourneys this year.

 

[Harrishabitat]

And just for the record Im not complaining about following the rules in a tournament, I fully support following the rules as they are written. My biggest point of contention is (A) interpreting the rules to gain them an advantage (B) in a lower division being a dick about the rules. In one situation last weekend, the kids who was in his first tournament I found him falling forward on his putts inside the circle but no one else saw him do it. So as we were walking to the next tee I quietly mentioned it to him and advised him of the rule and said to keep an eye on it or someone else in the group would start stroking him for it. Especially in divisions with beginners I think it's critical "how" you enforce the rules.

 

[JC17393]

I don't know why the term "rule nazi" would upset you so much but I guess each of us has buttons that we don't like pushed.

In this situation one specific anointed themselves the rules official in the group (and for some weird reason it always happens in this tournament every year and in the rec division). They just went way out of their way to comment all of the time if there was an infraction, subject of discussion or anything they just wanted to impose their will on.

In a few situations that were the most outrageous, final round and I was up by 4 strokes and my drive landed in a bush. I knew I had to get into the bush to establish my lie, once I was in their and setting up my shot they started waving their hands to get my attention to tell me that I was pushing the bush out of my way at that was illegal. Now mind you I was not holding anything out of the way with my hand, nor was I stepping on any branches or sitting on anything I was just establishing my lie with my body and standing straight up. At this point we had already went around the bush (pun intended) on many other situations and I was fed up. I crawled out frustrated and asked what the heck they expected me to do the bush was naturally going to move in some ways since I had to get in their to establish my lie, I eventually crawled back in their and I guess they begrudgingly said it was ok. I went to the TD on the next hole, showed him the bush and explained the situation and he said I was completely ok and I just couldn't step or hold anything out of the way.

The second scenario was with another player. It was a blind shot and we figured it went into the tree. Everyone looked for his disk for a minute or two and finally someone pointed up to the top of this thick tree and said there it is. He marked the lie underneath it and threw. After he walked up the fairway he found his actual disc in another tree. Rule Nazi started spouting every rule in the book, people were in disagreement and everyone was getting animated. We were holding up the group behind us and I walked over and suggested to the player (which was his first tournament) just to take a provisional and play them both out. That of course was argued and everything.

There were other issues in past years with people thinking they knew the rules and tried to enforce them such as trying to tell me I couldn't use my phone to keep score and listen to music... and other "opinion" rules

Thanks for the examples. I'm bothered by the term mainly because it is usually used derisively to describe any player for whom following the rules correctly is important. IMO, there's a world of difference between conscientiously knowing, following, and calling the rules fairly and things like you are describing. More often than not they all get lumped together as rules "nazi" or rules "dick" actions, which is why I asked for the clarification.

The simple solution to the second guy (and frankly, most all the self-proclaimed know-it-alls) is to have a rule book and open it up to find the applicable rule. Nothing diffuses the "I know what I'm doing and no one else does" guy faster than pulling out the book. In my experience, once you establish that you don't need to rely on his vast rules knowledge to survive the round, he's going to cool it with the "nazi" antics. Arguing round and round with such a player is only empowering him to continue acting like that.

 

[Kodachrome]

i'm not a rule nazi per se but i want you to follow the rules. even in leagues. it's my money you're trying to win, so deal with following the rules like everybody else.

it can lead to some tense situations, though. i foot-faulted a guy on a 10-foot putt during doubles league. he got all pissy and was going to refuse to rethrow until someone begrudgingly seconded and someone even thirded until finally everyone basically said "yeah dude, just re-do the putt".

he made it, of course. no harm, no foul. i looked like a dick but it was quite apparent that it was bothering others too. rules are rules. call them unless you are counting on someone else letting you skirt them too.

some poor guy almost went halfway down into the valley on 16 at kaposia park this past saturday and wanted to know his options. it was a scary lie, no doubt, but still "in play". he was standing on a very steep hill in deep snow. i told him he could rethrow for a stroke or take relief for a stroke. he wanted to know if he had any other options. i told him if he was so concerned he could take a provisional and we'd hash it out later with the league director. he threw from his lie and we all played on.

 

[bdodson]

i think using the word nazi other than referring to nazi's is probably not a good idea or even PC...