Nale72
Birdie Member
Hi,
This question has come up in a Swedish discgolf FB group and as far as I can understand we have some kind of inconsistency/ground for difficult rule decision. Or we just interpret the rule incorrectly.
The old rule 803.01 said:
803.01 Moving Obstacles
A. A player must choose the stance that results in the least movement of any obstacle that is a permanent or integral part of the course. Once a stance has been taken, the player may not move an obstacle in order to make room for a throwing motion. It is legal for a player's throwing motion to cause incidental movement of an obstacle.
B. A player is not allowed to move any obstacle on the course, with the following exceptions:
1. A player may move casual obstacles that are on or behind the lie. A casual obstacle is any item or collection of loose debris (such as stones, leaves, twigs, or unconnected branches), or any item as designated by the Director.
2. A player may request that other people move themselves or their belongings.
3. A player may restore course equipment to its proper working order, including the removal of obstacles.
C. A player who moves any obstacle on the course other than as allowed above receives one penalty throw.
The new rule 803.01 B.1 from 2022 say:
A player is not allowed to move any obstacle on the course, with the following exceptions:
1. A player may move casual obstacles that are on the playing surface where a supporting point may be placed when taking a stance. A casual obstacle is any item or collection of loose debris (such as stones, leaves, twigs, or unconnected branches), or any item as designated by the Director.
So the change (as I understand it) that you no longer get to remove casual obstacles that only interfere with you run-up/anwhere behind the lie, but only casual objects that may interfere with the playing surface where a supporting point may be placed.
However, the Q&A QA-OBS-3 has as far as I know not been updated and say:
QA-OBS-3: My disc came to rest under a long fallen tree branch. The branch is clearly detached from the tree, and extends from behind my disc to in front of it. Can I move the branch?
Yes. If part of the branch is in your stance or run-up behind your marker, you're allowed to move it, even if another part is between your lie and the hole.
So this Q&A say that you are allowed to remove to move a detached branch as long as it is in your stance or run-up.
So does this mean that you may remove every casual obstacle if it interfere with your run-up and not only if it interferes with your possible supporting points? Or is this just an oversight, and that that this Q&A should be updated/changed to only allow removal of the branch if it interferes with your supporting points?
This question has come up in a Swedish discgolf FB group and as far as I can understand we have some kind of inconsistency/ground for difficult rule decision. Or we just interpret the rule incorrectly.
The old rule 803.01 said:
803.01 Moving Obstacles
A. A player must choose the stance that results in the least movement of any obstacle that is a permanent or integral part of the course. Once a stance has been taken, the player may not move an obstacle in order to make room for a throwing motion. It is legal for a player's throwing motion to cause incidental movement of an obstacle.
B. A player is not allowed to move any obstacle on the course, with the following exceptions:
1. A player may move casual obstacles that are on or behind the lie. A casual obstacle is any item or collection of loose debris (such as stones, leaves, twigs, or unconnected branches), or any item as designated by the Director.
2. A player may request that other people move themselves or their belongings.
3. A player may restore course equipment to its proper working order, including the removal of obstacles.
C. A player who moves any obstacle on the course other than as allowed above receives one penalty throw.
The new rule 803.01 B.1 from 2022 say:
A player is not allowed to move any obstacle on the course, with the following exceptions:
1. A player may move casual obstacles that are on the playing surface where a supporting point may be placed when taking a stance. A casual obstacle is any item or collection of loose debris (such as stones, leaves, twigs, or unconnected branches), or any item as designated by the Director.
So the change (as I understand it) that you no longer get to remove casual obstacles that only interfere with you run-up/anwhere behind the lie, but only casual objects that may interfere with the playing surface where a supporting point may be placed.
However, the Q&A QA-OBS-3 has as far as I know not been updated and say:
QA-OBS-3: My disc came to rest under a long fallen tree branch. The branch is clearly detached from the tree, and extends from behind my disc to in front of it. Can I move the branch?
Yes. If part of the branch is in your stance or run-up behind your marker, you're allowed to move it, even if another part is between your lie and the hole.
So this Q&A say that you are allowed to remove to move a detached branch as long as it is in your stance or run-up.
So does this mean that you may remove every casual obstacle if it interfere with your run-up and not only if it interferes with your possible supporting points? Or is this just an oversight, and that that this Q&A should be updated/changed to only allow removal of the branch if it interferes with your supporting points?