rules for doubles

what is commonly accepted? are you supposed to tee first every other hole? do you go first from your partners shot and vice versa? how does this work in world doubles and other events?

[Chuck Kennedy]

http://www.pdga.com/rules/rules-for-doubles

[Jeff Levin]

Most people do alternate teeing off first...one partner takes even holes and the other takes odd holes. The other common practice I have seen is for the "B" player to drive first on every hole, and the "A" player to tee off 2nd.

As far as putting and up shots are concerned, I have played with people who prefer to play their own shots first and also people who prefer to have the other person play first. I find that either of these works, but I generally prefer to play that if we use my partners drive, I go first on the next shot and if we use my drive my partner goes first on the next shot. There is no rule as to what order you need to throw in. It is usually a good idea to decide at the begining of the round how you will play, otherwise on every putt you are deciding who should go first rather than walking up to it knowing who will putt at it first.

[jd]

I generally prefer alternate tees and putt each other's drive for no reason other than it establishes who should be going when. It generally pays to be flexible because some people have preferences such as putting last or driving first.

[castawaydave]

The way we play is the 1st thrower goes for ace. The 2nd thrower then goes for ace if the first is laid up or lays up if the 1st. shot is out beyond a sure putt. Always play from your partners lay. And switch off at the tee pad. This allows everyone a chance to play. Otherwise a pro/am round could result in the handicapped player might not even get a throw on some holes. I have experienced that.

[Chuck Kennedy]

While alternating is a common practice when players are in a similar skill range, in most cases, the better player will shoot second when that player is quite a bit better. Likewise, even with similarly rated players, if one typically throws shorter, and likely more accurately, it's usually better if they play first so the longer thrower can uncork one with less risk to the team.

The other situation I encounter is on holes/courses where rollers can be used. Even if I'm the one who would play next in the rotation, if my partner throws air shots, we'll switch so I can then take the riskier but potentially more rewarding roller option if his shot was reasonably safe.

IMO, the first thrower should never go for the ace. It's more important to make sure the team gets a birdie. The first thrower should try to park the shot. If they do then the partner goes for the ace. If he's not parked, then the second thrower has a second chance to get close for the birdie.

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

Chuck Kennedy said:

While alternating is a common practice when players are in a similar skill range, in most cases, the better player will shoot second when that player is quite a bit better. Likewise, even with similarly rated players, if one typically throws shorter, and likely more accurately, it's usually better if they play first so the longer thrower can uncork one with less risk to the team.

The other situation I encounter is on holes/courses where rollers can be used. Even if I'm the one who would play next in the rotation, if my partner throws air shots, we'll switch so I can then take the riskier but potentially more rewarding roller option if his shot was reasonably safe.

IMO, the first thrower should never go for the ace. It's more important to make sure the team gets a birdie. The first thrower should try to park the shot. If they do then the partner goes for the ace. If he's not parked, then the second thrower has a second chance to get close for the birdie.

This is pretty much exactly what we do.



Most of the time we will break up the field into a pro - am groups basded on ratings or local handicap. Occasionally we'll go all random.

We also play Cali or oddman if we have an odd number of players....What Chuck, No subsection for Cali?

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

Chuck is dead on. Doubles has a lotto do with strategy. This guys throws longer so let me go for placement first then he can rip. If he wants to do a roller, I will rip and if I place decent, he is free to try whatever. Its all about placement and safety and teamwork.

[Nascar Mike]

Right on brother..... Usually the weaker player plays frist. If both players are pretty close in skill level then you go to alternating shots.

On a related note in our dubs, if you and your partner can't decide which lie to play from you can play both. For example, I like my partners lie better and he likes mine. I shoot from his drive and he shoots from mine. Is this the same evrywhere else?

[Nascar Mike]

When you have an odd man out,playing by himself, we call that a "Cali" He gets one extra shot per hole. Say he hits a tree right off the tee, he uses his "cali" shot and parks it. He picks up the disc that hit the tree and advances to the Cali shot. If he then for some reason misses that putt, his cali has been used and must continue putting from that lie. Is this also the same everywhere else?

[Chuck Kennedy]

Some places allow the Cali player the option to pay two entry fees then he gets the full two throws on every shot.

IMO, even though Best Shot is the most popular, it's one of the weakest forms of doubles, since in theory, every throw of the better player could be used the whole round. Alternating Shot means that both players will be involved in the score on every hole (except an ace). The downside is that each player gets half as many throws as a normal round.

IMO, the best version of doubles is not even listed in the PDGA Doubles rules (I'll need to add that). It's called Best Alternating Score. Both partners drive then each plays their next shot from their partner's lie. Then, they switch again until both sequences of throws are in the hole. The sequence with the lower score is the team's score on that hole. It's like having two chances on every hole instead of one like regular Alternating Shot. This form of doubles means that both players are involved in every score AND both players get to play all shots. To me, that's real doubles.

[Josh Taylor]

How might you do a "Cali" or oddman in the Best Alternating Score arrangement of doubles?

Chuck Kennedy said:

Some places allow the Cali player the option to pay two entry fees then he gets the full two throws on every shot.

IMO, even though Best Shot is the most popular, it's one of the weakest forms of doubles, since in theory, every throw of the better player could be used the whole round. Alternating Shot means that both players will be involved in the score on every hole (except an ace). The downside is that each player gets half as many throws as a normal round.

IMO, the best version of doubles is not even listed in the PDGA Doubles rules (I'll need to add that). It's called Best Alternating Score. Both partners drive then each plays their next shot from their partner's lie. Then, they switch again until both sequences of throws are in the hole. The sequence with the lower score is the team's score on that hole. It's like having two chances on every hole instead of one like regular Alternating Shot. This form of doubles means that both players are involved in every score AND both players get to play all shots. To me, that's real doubles.

[Nascar Mike]

We are talking about disc golfers here though and 90% of the people that play wouldn't understand what you just said.
You would explain the rules and you would hear that one guy say what everyone else is thinking. "what's he talkin about man, I thought we were playin dubs?" Sad , but true.

Chuck Kennedy said:

Some places allow the Cali player the option to pay two entry fees then he gets the full two throws on every shot.

IMO, even though Best Shot is the most popular, it's one of the weakest forms of doubles, since in theory, every throw of the better player could be used the whole round. Alternating Shot means that both players will be involved in the score on every hole (except an ace). The downside is that each player gets half as many throws as a normal round.

IMO, the best version of doubles is not even listed in the PDGA Doubles rules (I'll need to add that). It's called Best Alternating Score. Both partners drive then each plays their next shot from their partner's lie. Then, they switch again until both sequences of throws are in the hole. The sequence with the lower score is the team's score on that hole. It's like having two chances on every hole instead of one like regular Alternating Shot. This form of doubles means that both players are involved in every score AND both players get to play all shots. To me, that's real doubles.