Is a pond always O.B.

In ball golf, if you can play a ball out of water, it is legal. In disc golf, if you can make a legal stance behind the disc and your standing in the water, is this legal? If the pond is not marked as O.B.?

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

Precedents in course design have always defined a pond and/or a lake as an out-of-bounds area...if the disc is completely surrounded by water...your out...plus according to the current rules, a stance may not be made from an OB area. because you can't stand OB your relief goes perpendicular from the OB line whether or not it's closer to the hole or not.

However, a provision is made in the rules for special conditions allowing a TD/course designer to somewhat define what could be considered OB or casual...if a TD stated a pond is casual...you have the option of standing in the water directly behind the marker or disc ...or relocating back away from the hole on the line of play. No free relief forward from the lie in the event of casual water.


confused..I sure am...lol

[Joe]

for casual water, relief of up to 5 meters may be taken, just adding on.

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

it could take whatever distance it takes....for the player to take a dry stance...as long as it on the line of play....casual water could be an acre size puddle.

[Bill Burns]

Water is not OB, unless specified by the TD, or, in casual play, by the signs on the course, either on the tee or where the course rules are posted, if there are any.

[Joe]

http://www.pdga.com/files/documents/PDGA2007rulebook.pdf

[mark ellis]

Once again illBay urnsBay is correct. The Rules of disc golf do not define which areas are Out-of-Bounds. OB areas are defined by the Tournament Director (in a tourney).

In a non-tournament round, the only rules which exist are those rules the players agree upon. So players in a casual round may simply agree which areas are OB or defer to whatever may be posted on any signs (those signs not yet torn down by other casual players) or local customs.

Typically large. permanent bodies of water are viewed as OB, while areas of temporary flooding (mud puddles) are not. Most of the time roads, sidewalks, pavilions, parking lots, adjacent sports fields, buildings and the like are considered OB. Often the OB decision of a particular area is determined with a safety consideration in mind.

One of the most important bits of information given at a Players Meeting prior to a tournament is a listing of the OB areas. Mere logic, common sense, history or custom is an inadequate guide to understanding which spots are OB because the TD may choose to ignore logic, common sense, history and custom in making the decision. Sometimes a sidewalk itself is OB but over and beyond the same sidewalk is not. Sometimes standing water in the middle of the fairway is OB. Sometimes a disc suspended in one tree (over 2 meters) is OB while a disc in the tree right next to it is not. Sometimes a yellow rope is strung down the middle of the fairway and an artificial OB area is created, but not necessarily for every division.

The problem arises when OB areas are not decided before the round by TD's or when those areas are not clearly defined. Logically, any area which is not previously declared OB in In-Bounds. But I have witnessed OB on the fly decisions. I have also seen OB by custom and implication decisions (ya know, last year in a different tournament, Joe-Bob's disc went over there and he was called OB, so you are too).

[Bill Burns]

Hey arkMay, um... ellisAy(?),

Thanks for the backup, but please allow me to pick a nit from your statement.
You might want to reconsider your claim, counselor, that a disc suspended in a tree (over 2 meters) may be OB. I realize that you were probably dummying down your response for the great unwashed masses, but I just wanted to clarify that said disc may incur a one stroke penalty, as would a disc that was OB, but that disc is not OB (Rule 803.08B).

And I agree that, when playing any round that is not a tournament round, it is pretty much a given that any running water, or large body of water that is a permanent fixture of the course, is considered OB.

[Ben Calhoun]

Yes if it's not OB play from it if you wish. I've seen it happen in a tournament, from waist high water. He then got stung by many bees as did I. Riverbends circa 2006?

[Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun]

And on the first Disc Golf Caribbean Cruise, I putted and approached three times from at least knee high salt water.

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

Special conditions I'm sure...very nice special conditions! I want to do that!!!!

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

depends on the rules for the specific event.

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

This is where I tentatively disagree with Bill and Mark....(I'm out on limb here because I'm not going to the rule book for this...as of yet)

I honestly doubt there is too many courses designed around ponds, a lake, a river, creeks and/or streams...whereas landing in them would not be considered OB. It's a given....as part of the course design....part of the challenge.

However in casual rounds your group can play with whatever rules you guys decide upon.....hey look course record!!!