It's OK to ask someone to clear the basket. Here's why.

[Omega SuperSloth]

And to the original premise---

I've always wondered if a disc in the bottom of the basket is more likely to cause a bounce-out than a solid-metal empty basket? Practice-putting, I've seen tens of thousands of putts made with other discs---sometimes many discs---sitting in there and yet to see a bounce-out. It seems equally plausible that discs in the basket soften the landing area and are a benefit.

Regardless, they should be removed to eliminate excuses from the next thrower.

im with you on that one i think more often than not it would help , with that being said i think you shoundnt have to ask they should ask you if they should remove it but only when your playing for something if its just casual and its not stuck in the front of the chains.

Personally i love looking in the basket and seeing everyone on yuor cards disc in the basket , but iguess i also like to see 5 on the ground and mine inside.

 

[Dave242]

I visualized the line (high and right because of the distance), went through my putt routine, threw, and it sailed perfectly into the exact link I was aiming for. The disc fell from the chains on edge right on top of the Juju Supreme laying flat in the bottom of the basket. The Juju worked exactly like a trampoline and my Aviar vertically jumped straight back up, hit the chains, and fell out.

You chose the wrong link dude! When you are 60' away you need to choose the link 2 below the one you hit. It works everytime for me I am putting from 60' and further!

 

[Randy Sharp]

I had the same thing happen to me in a casual round. From that moment on, I putt only to a cleared basket.

 

[DiscJunkie]

Congrats for taking it so well.
Thanks for sharing your pain to teach us a valuable lesson.
It's never happened to me, but that doesn't mean it couldn't...

 

[ERicJ]

You especially want to clear it if you stick your shot to the outside of the basket, wedged in between the bars...

Of course, now I've just raised another question I'll have to post in a new thread--If you hit an ace by wedging your disc in the outside and nobody else's shot is in the vicinity of the basket, meaning you'd have to wait for all their approach shots, is it appropriate to run ahead and clear your ace before the unthinkable--the disc dropping out--happens? Is the card obligated to let you clear it?

The way that the PDGA is interpreting the current rules is that if you get your card to declare the disc "at rest" before it pops out then the disc/Ace stays. Once a disc is declared "at rest" on the playing surface or basket it is replaced by rule if moved. So even if your wedged Ace pops out after declaring it "at rest" you would be allowed to replace the wedgie and then remove it to properly hole out. Here's the discussion from the PDGA forum:

http://www.pdga.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=31713

 

[80playedin10states]

if it is wedged in the basket why would you pull it out to hole out? if it is wedged in the basket it counts and IS holed out...just read the pdga discusion, and once again this proves the rule book for disc golf is crap!! basically there are 2 rules negating each other..

 

[Omega SuperSloth]

i think erics right on this one otherwise a disc that was on top of the rim but fell out would count , you cant count a wedged disc that stayed in for 1 second then fell . So if that happens you better run your ass up there and un wedge it before it falls (make sure the other people know it in there though.

 

[ERicJ]

if it is wedged in the basket why would you pull it out to hole out?

Because the PDGA definition of holing out requires you to remove the disc from the basket:

Holed-Out: A term used to signify completion of a hole. A player has "holedout" after the removal of the at rest disc from the chains or entrapment area of a disc entrapment device or after striking the marked area of the designated object target.

 

[80playedin10states]

read up two posts..you are contradicting yourself(or the rule book is)..."so even if your wedged ace pops out after declaring it at rest you would be allowed to replace the wedge(makes no sense) and then remove it to properly hole out"..if it is wedged in the basket it counts...if it was "at rest" and then popped out it still counts(which is contradicting another rule )...when you hit an ace, do you pull the disc out and put it back to complete the hole? SERIOUSLY THINK THE PDGA HAS SOME THINGS TO WORK OUT IN THE RULEBOOK...ty for your vast knowledge of cut and paste eric. you da man...

 

[bjreagh]

EricJ's explanation makes sense to me. Holing out requires disc removal (by the thrower) not by falling out on its own. That is why you would have to put it back. At rest counts as your throw, but the hole is not technically finished until disc is removed.

 

[trifocal]

Great putts usually stay in the basket

Lets get technical. Here in disc golf.....we call shots (throws) of a certain range...putts. But...really...they are not putts. A putt is a ball golf term to describe hitting the ball with a club and "rolling" it on the ground or green.

The only way to get a disc in the basket is to throw it. Hence...there is no "putting".

The rules on wedgies are kinda wacky, but clearing your "putt" makes complete sense and it seems proper to ask for a basket to be cleared ( and holed out ) before making a throw ( putt) at the basket. Its in your own best scoring interest to have the basket empty when throwing.

 

[trifocal]

A basket design that defeats wedgies would eliminate the entire running up and grabbing your "at rest" disc before it decides not to be at rest anymore.

 

[80playedin10states]

good idea trifocal..wonder why they haven't figured that out...the "at rest" rule must be kinda new...and kinda retarded..still can't fathom hitting an ace, saying"it's at rest" and then it falls out before you get to the basket...then you are allowed to put it back in?...RIDICULOUS

 

[zenbot]

Thread derail but here's my lesson. Discs can do crazy shiznit. If you're screwing around with your buddies it's ok to not make them take the walk to get their disc. However I will never do that in an official round now. I have in the past because "how's a disc flat in the bottom of the basket going to affect anything?"

Right?

I seen it. I seen it with mah own two eyes.

 

[Omega SuperSloth]

just get rid of the wedge rule all together i think most of us agree that shi* shouldnt really count in the first place , i mean you never went in to the basket or hit chains you just got lucky and ended up on the good side of a stupid technicality.

I could see counting ones that go through and end up inside or ones that go in the basket first then partially stick out , i also think trifocals idea is good but with so many baskets out there i dont think its feezable.

 

[Omega SuperSloth]

You especially want to clear it if you stick your shot to the outside of the basket, wedged in between the bars...

Of course, now I've just raised another question I'll have to post in a new thread--If you hit an ace by wedging your disc in the outside and nobody else's shot is in the vicinity of the basket, meaning you'd have to wait for all their approach shots, is it appropriate to run ahead and clear your ace before the unthinkable--the disc dropping out--happens? Is the card obligated to let you clear it?

to answer your question since youd be the only one holed out you have the right to imediatly clear it before someone else throws and youd also be obligated to take it out if asked.

 

[jhgonzo]

Thanks for the clarification(s), everyone!

On the subject of basket design, I recall hearing about a design flaw (can't remember which PDGA-approved basket, but I'm sure someone will know) where the spokes on TOP of the basket could, in theory, allow a disc to pass through vertically down into the actual entrapment device. I didn't hear of this actually happening, but it was demonstrated for a friend of mine. Apparently these baskets were used at some major tournament, and the flaw wasn't immediately discovered.

C'mon, someone help me out with this...

 

[80playedin10states]

a course in rochester, NY(churchville) has "old" discatchers that you can end up in the chains in this way..i have done it and seen it done...a disc fits thru the bars on top and falls right into the chains

 

[jhgonzo]

a course in rochester, NY(churchville) has "old" discatchers that you can end up in the chains in this way..i have done it and seen it done...a disc fits thru the bars on top and falls right into the chains

So...it would be considered at rest if it ends up on the top...but let's say a wind flips it upright and allows it to drop in...I can only imagine the ensuing arguments if this happened during a tourney!

 

[skottyb]

A basket design that defeats wedgies would eliminate the entire running up and grabbing your "at rest" disc before it decides not to be at rest anymore.

Well technically I think wedgies should be "out" not "in"... its a low putt right?? And why dont they design them that way... so off topic but what baskets make it nearly impossible to get a wedgie...? gateway titan?