Home / Information about Disc Golf / Vocabulary
BASIC KEYWORDS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR DISC GOLF
To feel more comfortable around a disc golf course, you should know these words :
Hole : The target in disc golf, usually objects or baskets. The term "hole" encompasses the entire play area: tee, fairway, green, and target. For instance, Hole #1 can refer to the entire fairway and path traveled on the first play area or can refer specifically to basket #1 on the first green.
Tee box : Tee boxes are starting areas that are well defined and can be made of concrete, asphalt, gravel, rubber, and other materials. This marks where the first shot is thrown from on a given disc golf hole.
Basket : A disc golf basket (also known as a disc golf target, pole hole, or disc entrapment device) is the “goal” for every disc golf hole. Discs golf baskets come in many shapes and sizes including permanent, portable, all-metal, and hybrid designs. Click here to view our selection of disc golf baskets.
Fairway : The playing surface of a hole between the tee area and the green. In general a throw that results in a lie on the fairway is good because it will yield a good path for the next shot. Fairways can be very wide and open or tight and narrow depending on the course design.
O.B. (Out-of-bounds) : A disc that lands completely out of bounds is charged one penalty stroke. The lie is marked either at a designated drop zone, or if not specified the lie is marked at the point where the disc was last in bounds. Player receives 3feet / 1meter of relief into the course from the out of bounds line.
Drop Zone : An area on the course from which play is resumed after a shot is thrown out-of-bounds, missed as a mandatory, or landed in a protected area.
Hazard : A disc that lands completely in a hazard zone is charged one penalty stroke. This time, the lie is at the landing spot of the disc nonetheless. Player throws his next shot from the place where the disc lands.
Mando (or mandatory): Refers to a specific flight path that your disc must follow during play. This includes geographic boundaries as well as specific objects that the disc must pass as it approaches the basket. Mandos are established to improve the safety, challenge, and design of a course.
There's 3 groups of shots for disc golf :
Drive : Any throw off of the tee pad, or a throw from the fairway designed for maximum distance.
Approach : Usually the second shot of a hole, designed to place the disc within putting distance.
Putt : The final throw(s) of the hole aimed at getting your disc to come to rest in the trapper basket. Any throw within the circle (10 meter radius).
Different types of shot technics :
Backhand : The most common disc golf throwing style. The backhand shot is similar to how you would learn to throw a Frisbee. In a RHBH (or right-hand back hand) shot, a player will point their right shoulder towards the target. They will grip the golf disc with their thumb on top of the disc and fingers underneath. The player then pulls the disc across their chest from the left to the right and releases it towards the disc golf target. For a LHBH throw (left-hand back hand), simply reverse the process (the player’s left shoulder will face the target). A backhand throw (RHBH) will cause a normal disc golf disc to fade to the left near the end of its flight.
Forehand (Side arm, Flick...) : A throwing style that leads with the non-throwing arm. Ex: For Right Hand forehand players- the left shoulder will be pointed towards the target and the right arm extends behind player and then across chest.
Overhand (Thumber,Tomahawk...) : A throwing style that propels the disc by an overhand motion much like a baseball or football throw.
Each player has access to a wide range of discs belonging to different categories. 3 types of discs are essential for a basic disc golf game :
Driver : A disc golf disc designed for maximum distance from the tee (or a combination of distance and a unique flight path). This is also the most difficult disc to control.
Midrange : A mid-range disc is a driver disc designed for slower and more stable flight.
Putter : Putters or Putt and Approach discs are designed for short-distance and stable flight. Usually used within the circle.
Fairway Driver vs Maximum Distance Driver : Driver discs can be subdivided in two kinds. A Fairway driver being somewhere between a distance driver and a mid-range disc (350-400ft reach) and requires less technical capacities in order to get accurate.
A Max Distance driver is usually recognized by their sharp, bevelled edge and have most of their mass concentrated on the outer rim of the disc rather than distributed equally throughout, giving a maximum distance reach (400ft and more). It requires more technical capacities in order to get accurate.
Marker (Mini): A small version of a golf disc used to mark a players lie.
Disc golf terminology for scores is similar to those of the traditional Golf ( Ball Golf ) :
PAR : The established number of strokes determined by the course designer or other person as being what a player should be able to score on a given hole mistake free. Most holes are par 3, although some more challenging courses offer par 4 and par 5 holes that will force you to play smart and use strategy.
Ex : Hole #1 : PAR 3. If a player throws 4 shots, the score on this hole will be « +1 ».
Birdie : A golf term for completing a hole one throw under PAR (also known as “one down” or “one below par”).
« PAR minus 1 shot ». Ex : On a PAR 4, a Birdie equals 3 shots.
Eagle : A golf term for completing a hole two shots under PAR.
« PAR minus 2 shots ». Ex : On a PAR 4, an Eagle equals 2 shots.