Relief, lost and abandoned discs: the rules explained
You can clear loose debris, but not bend branches. Free relief exists for harmful animals, casual areas and stances an obstacle blocks. A disc not found in 3 minutes is lost: one penalty throw from your previous lie.
Rules covered
803.01, 803.02, 803.03, 806.03, 806.05, 805.03, 809.01. Summaries follow the PDGA Official Rules, 2026 edition.
803.01What you can move
Before you throw, you may clear casual obstacles: loose debris you can easily move by yourself, like small stones, twigs, pinecones and leaves, as long as it isn’t part of the course or stuck in the ground. You may also ask people to move themselves or their bags, put course equipment back in working order and pick up litter.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 803.01)
803.01Trees and branches in your way
Choose the stance that moves the fewest permanent obstacles, like trees, bushes and branches. Once you have it, you can’t bend, hold or break anything to make more room. Brushing a branch during your throw is fine. Moving an obstacle any other way costs one penalty throw.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 803.01)
803.02Free relief from harmful animals
You may take free relief from harmful insects or animals, like a wasp nest or a snake, and from anything the tournament director names. Mark a new lie on the line of play, farther from the basket, at the nearest spot that gives relief.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 803.02)
803.02When an obstacle blocks your stance
If an obstacle, like a tree trunk or a fence, physically keeps you from taking a legal stance behind your marker, you may move your lie back along the line of play to the spot directly behind it, free.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 803.02)
803.03Moving back for a penalty
Any time, you can tell your group you are taking optional relief and move your lie back along the line of play, farther from the basket, for one penalty throw. It helps when your disc is somewhere you can’t throw from.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 803.03)
806.03Casual areas
A casual area is a spot the tournament director marks, like standing water, where you may take free relief if you want it. Mark a new lie on the line of play, farther from the basket, at the nearest spot where both your marker and your lie are out of the area. In-bounds water counts as casual unless the director says otherwise.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 806.03)
806.05Hazards
A hazard is an area the tournament director marks with a one-throw penalty that doesn’t move your lie: you add a penalty throw and play it where it lies. A disc is in when the hazard surrounds it completely. If you move the disc before the group decides, it counts as in.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 806.05)
805.03Lost disc
A disc you can’t find within 3 minutes of reaching the area where it should be is lost. Anyone in the group can start the timer, and they have to say so. Everyone helps search. A lost disc costs one penalty throw, and you play from your previous lie, or from a lost-disc drop zone if the hole has one.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 805.03)
805.03If it turns up later
Once declared lost, a disc stays lost even if it’s found, though you can keep using it. If it turns out someone took it before it was declared lost, two throws come off your score for that hole. A disc that clearly went OB isn’t lost: play it as OB.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 805.03)
809.01Abandoning a throw
You can take back your last throw: tell the group, then throw again from where you threw it. The abandoned throw counts and you add one penalty throw, but any penalties that throw earned don’t count. If the hole has a drop zone for abandoned throws, you may play from there instead.
Terms
Read the full rule at pdga.com (rule 809.01)
See also
Rule summaries are based on the PDGA Official Rules of Disc Golf. Shot Lab is not affiliated with the PDGA.
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