grodney
* Ace Member *
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PDGA Rules Revision 2017
Below is a list of issues up for discussion with regard to the 2017 revision of the PDGA rules. Note that several related issues may be grouped into one. It is possible that not all the issues below will be addressed. Also, there may be minor changes, such as fixing typos or clarifying language, that we do not consider to warrant proposals.
Working revision (in text form)
ID: For tracking purposes. Does not necessarily reflect order of discussion.
Area: Area of the rules addressed
Title: Links to the proposed change and a summary of the discussion.
Impact: Minor, Moderate, or Major
Synopsis: A brief summary
Status: Preparation, Proposal, Active, Stalled, Passed, Failed, or Closed.
Vote: For / Against (9 committee members)
Board: Accepted, Rejected
ID Area Title Impact Synopsis Status Vote Board
GN-1 General Renumbering Moderate Change rule numbering base from 800 to 100. Closed 5 / 3 Rejected
GN-2 General Restructure Moderate Give rules of play a more natural order so that rules are easier to find. Passed* 8 / 0
GN-3 General Language Minor Make the language less formal and more natural, eg reduce the use of "shall". Passed 7 / 0
GN-4 General Rule tiebreaker Minor If multiple penalties apply, use the one that results in the farthest lie. Passed* 6 / 0
GN-5 General Broken disc Minor Don't say "perforated". Passed* 7 / 0
GN-6 General Throwing order Minor If a throw doesn't change a player's lie (eg on an island OB hole), they throw again. Passed* 7 / 0
GN-7 General Disc-finding aids Minor Allows taped-on lights, ribbons, or chalk for night or snow play. Failed 3 / 4
GN-8 General Order of play Moderate Allow throwing out of turn if no impact on away player. Active 0 / 1
D-1 Definitions Marker Minor Use generic term "marker" rather than "mini marker disc". Failed 2 / 4
D-2 Definitions Throw Minor Clarify definition of "throw". Passed* 6 / 1
D-3 Definitions Official Minor Narrow the definition of "official" to those appointed by TD. Active* 7 / 0
D-4 Definitions Basket Minor Gather basket component definitions under new term "basket". Passed* 7 / 0
D-5 Definitions Casual water Minor Simplify the definition. Passed* 6 / 1
D-6 Definitions Practice throw Minor Disallow practice putts of any distance. Passed* 4 / 1
D-7 Definitions Out-of-bounds Minor Remove two redundant lines from the definition (they appear in the rule). Passed* 6 / 1
ST-1 Stance Stay behind your lie Major Must show balance behind lie for all throws. Fixes jump/step putt issues. Passed*** 4 / 3
ST-2 Stance Can always go past lie Major Remove ten-meter circle restriction. Failed 1 / 6
ST-3 Stance Move putting circle to 50m Major Stay behind your lie when within 50 meters. Passed*** 6 / 1
OB-1 Out-of-bounds TD OB Options Major Remove requirement of waiver for TD to limit OB options Passed** 6 / 1
OB-2 Out-of-bounds No-penalty OB Major Allow for OB areas that do not incur a penalty throw (aka mandatory relief). Passed** 7 / 0
OB-3 Out-of-bounds Lateral hazard Moderate Add TD option to handle OB area as lateral hazard (lie is closest in-bounds point). Failed 1 / 6
OB-4 Out-of-bounds Go directly to drop zone Moderate Add TD option to let players go straight to drop zone without throwing into an OB lake first. Passed* 7 / 0
OB-5 Out-of-bounds Remove previous lie option. Minor It's already available via Optional Re-throw. Passed* 6 / 1
OB-6 Out-of-bounds OB in a corner Minor Guarantee a lie one meter from all OB. Passed* 6 / 1
L-1 Lie Thrown Disc Lie Major Emphasize using thrown disc as lie. If marking, align tail edges. Passed** 7 / 0
HO-1 Holing Out Holing Out Moderate Simplify definition of holing out Passed* 7 / 0
MN-1 Mandatories Clarify mandatory rule Moderate Add idea of mandatory plane. Add height-restricted double. And more. Passed** 6 / 0
MN-2 Mandatories Prohibited and required routes Major A required route has no drop zone or penalty; player simply unwinds until they pass the mando. Passed** 4 / 2
MN-3 Mandatories Simplify mandatory rule Major Simplify the mandatory rule. Failed 3 / 3
INT-1 Interference Intentional interference Minor Consolidate two small rules Passed* 7 / 0
INT-2 Interference Consensual interference Minor Move consensual interference rule to Q&A Failed 3 / 3
INT-3 Interference Intentional self-interference Minor Address intentional self-interference Passed* 7 / 0
INT-4 Interference Self-interference Minor Make unintentional self-interference a one-throw penalty and re-throw Passed* 5 / 1
INT-5 Interference Consensual interference Minor Clarify that consensual interference applies to discs going OB. Passed* 6 / 0
OPT-1 Optional Relief/Re-throw Declare relief Minor Player must declare that they are taking optional relief or re-throw. Passed* 6 / 1
PRO-1 Provisionals Disputed call, same lie Minor There's no need for a provisional unless the disputed call changes the lie. Passed* 6 / 1
PRO-2 Provisionals Limit provisionals Minor Can only have one set of provisional throws on a hole. Passed* 6 / 1
There are three proposals that are new versions of the mandatory rule. MN-1 is a rewrite for clarification and does not change how mandatories are played. MN-2 adds the idea of a required route, which is the old idea of a mando where you need to unwind if you miss (and there's no penalty throw for missing). MN-3 is a much briefer and more general description of mandatories that leaves it up to the TD to describe when they're missed or made. Any proposal that passes will result in the Board choosing their preferred one. Currently MN-2 folds in MN-1. If MN-2 is approved and MN-1 fails, it will be adjusted to reflect the current rule.
The proposals ST-1 through ST-3 are intended to address the issue of jump and step putts, many of which are stance violations that are difficult to call in real time. Each proposal is a substantial change. If any passes a Rules Committee vote and is deemed by the Board to have some value, we could consider an intermediate approach where we introduce it as a discretionary (or even experimental) rule, to be activated by the TD at their discretion.
* Incorporated into working revision.
** Incorporated into working revision, identified with tags showing proposal ID for easy inclusion/removal.
*** Not incorporated into working revision, pending Board action.
