Tee Box Question

[nygfaninva]

The group of guys I play with came up with this issue while I was away. We know the rules state that you can throw up to 3 meters (nine feet) BEHIND a tee box, but what are the legal rules about the sides of a tee box? We always played, like ball golf, that the disc had to pass through both sides (right edge and left edge of the front of the tee box) of the tee box. This keeps in the play the direction that the course creator had in mind for the first throw. Is this correct? Or can a player step and/or throw from the sides of a tee box? For example; Can someone step out 3 meters from the edge of a tee box and three meters behind it or does that change the entire position of the tee box altogether?

What is the correct, legal answer? Not casual, but correct answer? Thanks for any and all input and help.

 

[UTTERBACK]

As far as I know, in a tournament setting it is up to the TD. They can slide the teeing area left or right if they feel it will create a safer throwing surface. I've seen it a few times on temp holes with natural surfaces.

 

[GT Chris]

No, that is not correct. If I am interpreting your post correctly, you are playing as if there was a double mando on the two front corners of every teepad. This is not the case (in fact, not all teepads are even rectangular in shape, so it would be impossible to be consistent). In fact, the rules make no restrictions on the direction you have to throw a disc.

The bigger problem with your scenario is your background story. According to the rules, you cannot legally throw from behind (or beside) a teepad; all supporting points must be in the teeing area, otherwise it is a foot fault.

Hope that answers your question and clears some things up.

 

[eegor]

803.02 Teeing Off:A. Play shall begin on each hole with the player throwing from within the teeing area. When the disc is released, at least one of the player's supporting points must be in contact with the surface of the teeing area, and all the player's supporting points must be within the teeing area. If a tee pad is provided, all supporting points must be on the pad at the time of release, unless the director has specified a modified teeing area for safety reasons. If no tee pad is provided, all supporting points at the time of release must be within an area encompassed by the front line of the teeing area and two lines perpendicular to and extending back three meters from each end of the front line. The front line of the teeing area includes the outside edges of the two tee markers. Running up from behind the teeing area before the disc is released is permitted. Following through in front of the teeing area is permitted provided there is no supporting point contact outside the teeing area when the disc is released.
B. Any supporting point contact outside the teeing area at the time of release constitutes a stance violation and shall be handled in accordance with sections 803.04 F, G and H.

 

[eegor]

803.04
F. A stance violation must be clearly called within three seconds after the infraction to be valid. The call may be made by any member of the group or an official. When the call is made by a member of the group, it must subsequently be confirmed by another member of the group. A player shall receive a warning for the first violation of a stance rule in the round.
Subsequent violations of a stance rule in the same round shall incur a one-throw penalty.
G. Any throw that involves a validly called and seconded stance violation may not be used by the thrower. Re-throws must be taken from the original lie, prior to subsequent play by others in the group.
H. The player may not retrieve the originally thrown disc prior to the re-throw, except in the case of a putt from within 10 meters. Where a disc is retrieved in violation of this rule, a one throw penalty shall be imposed without a warning.

 

[Lewis]

In the context of these rules, how is "supporting point" defined?

 

[nygfaninva]

So I'm understanding that ALL of the player's body must be within the tee box, or imagined tee box line if no box exists.

So for example, what about if a player places his foot on the back edge(3 meters from tee box front) and stretches out as far as he/she could and throws, The disc does not need to pass through the front of the tee......is that correct? You are right, we were using the front of the tee box as twin mandos, I guess, and I am reading that this was wrong.

 

[eegor]

Supporting point would be you feet if you're not sitting, laying or doing one handed pushups.

When I release the disc on a hard drive, I only have one supporting point (my right foot) on the ground. If you have both feet on the ground when you release the disc, both must be on the tee pad (or in the tee area if there is no pad).

 

[eegor]

So I'm understanding that ALL of the player's body must be within the tee box, or imagined tee box line if no box exists.

So for example, what about if a player places his foot on the back edge(3 meters from tee box front) and stretches out as far as he/she could and throws, The disc does not need to pass through the front of the tee......is that correct? You are right, we were using the front of the tee box as twin mandos, I guess, and I am reading that this was wrong.

The front of the tee box is not a mando. You could throw it at a 90 degree angle off of the tee if you so desire.

It doesn't say "all of the body". It says "supporting points".

 

[nygfaninva]

Supporting point would be you feet if you're not sitting, laying or doing one handed pushups.

When I release the disc on a hard drive, I only have one supporting point (my right foot) on the ground. If you have both feet on the ground when you release the disc, both must be on the tee pad (or in the tee area if there is no pad).

OK, sarcasm aside, I see that BOTH feet need to be in the tee box area when disc is thrown. So stretching out is a no go, BUT the disc can fly in any direction as long as both (or one if one foot is off the ground) feet are on the tee box (or tee area if no complete box available). Is that correct?

 

[eegor]

OK, sarcasm aside, I see that BOTH feet need to be in the tee box area when disc is thrown. So stretching out is a no go, BUT the disc can fly in any direction as long as both (or one if one foot is off the ground) feet are on the tee box (or tee area if no complete box available). Is that correct?

That would be correct.

By the way, I've played with a guy that will sit down and throw on some short, wooded holes. In that case, the thrower's rear end, feet if in contact with the ground and other hand if in contact with the ground must be on the tee pad.

 

[JBryant]

In most cases supporting points means the foot that you are planting on. For example at my local course I throw off the left side of the tee to avoid a large tree directly in front of the left corner of the tee pad. This allows me to go left of the tree since I cannot throw a hyzer flip on the right of the tree nor can I launch a forehand on that side either. My plant food (right foot for bhrh) is still on the tee pad but much further back than the front of the pad thus making it a legal throw. In a tournament I saw a guy throwing forehand plant with his left foot outside the left of the concrete teepad. This was an illegal throw because his supporting point (left foot) was outside the teeing area. He basically made his own teepad when he did that. It allowed him to make the throw he wanted instead of conforming to the way the hole was designed (in this case a double double mando hole) By moving every so slightly to the left of that tee he was able to hit the double double mando. If we use his rules you could basically tee off from anywhere you wanted. Sometimes we all want that freedom but the rules don't allow it.

 

[AirMcNair]

But once the disc is released and you had one point of contact on the pad during release your momentum can move you forward off the pad.

 

[netposer]

803.02 Teeing Off:A. Play shall begin on each hole with the player throwing from within the teeing area. When the disc is released, at least one of the player's supporting points must be in contact with the surface of the teeing area, and all the player's supporting points must be within the teeing area. If a tee pad is provided, all supporting points must be on the pad at the time of release, unless the director has specified a modified teeing area for safety reasons. If no tee pad is provided, all supporting points at the time of release must be within an area encompassed by the front line of the teeing area and two lines perpendicular to and extending back three meters from each end of the front line. The front line of the teeing area includes the outside edges of the two tee markers. Running up from behind the teeing area before the disc is released is permitted. Following through in front of the teeing area is permitted provided there is no supporting point contact outside the teeing area when the disc is released.
B. Any supporting point contact outside the teeing area at the time of release constitutes a stance violation and shall be handled in accordance with sections 803.04 F, G and H.

This is what 803.02 now states on the PDGA site
803.02 Optional Relief and Optional Re-throw

Optional Relief. A player may elect at any time to take optional relief. The lie may then be relocated to a new lie which is no closer to the target, and is on the line of play. One penalty throw shall be added to the player's score.

Optional Re-throw. A player may elect at any time to re-throw from the previous lie. The original throw plus one penalty throw shall be counted in the player's score.

 

[Steve West]

2013:

800.02 Definitions

Tee Line
The line at the front of the teeing area, or the line between the outside edges of two tee markers.

Teeing Area (or Tee)
The area bounded by the edges of a tee pad, if provided. Otherwise, the area extending three meters perpendicularly behind the designated tee line. The teeing area is also a lie.

802.01 Teeing Off
A. Play begins on each hole with the player throwing from within the teeing area. When the disc is released, the player must have at least one supporting point in contact with the surface of the teeing area, and all supporting points must be in contact only with the surface of the teeing area. Supporting point contact outside the teeing area is allowed if it comes before or after, and not at, the moment the disc is released.
B. Any supporting point contact outside the teeing area at the time of release constitutes a stance violation and shall be handled in accordance with sections 802.04 E and F.

 

[swiltse]

But once the disc is released and you had one point of contact on the pad during release your momentum can move you forward off the pad.

I've been curious about this. At one of our courses there is a teepad that is sloped downhill a few degrees and it's one of the longest holes on the course. I don't have a long run up, but I do put a lot of body momentum into my throws (RHFH) to get more distance and when I tee off on this hole I release the disk right at the front of the tee (with my plant foot on the tee), but my momentum and the downward slope always cause me to continue off the front of the tee after I release.

I've never played a tourney at this course so I wasn't sure how this would be ruled, but I assumed that it was a fault. I guess I assumed wrong.

 

[Future_Primitive]

I've been curious about this. At one of our courses there is a teepad that is sloped downhill a few degrees and it's one of the longest holes on the course. I don't have a long run up, but I do put a lot of body momentum into my throws (RHFH) to get more distance and when I tee off on this hole I release the disk right at the front of the tee (with my plant foot on the tee), but my momentum and the downward slope always cause me to continue off the front of the tee after I release.

I've never played a tourney at this course so I wasn't sure how this would be ruled, but I assumed that it was a fault. I guess I assumed wrong.

No fault off the teepad or outside the circle for your forward momentum carrying you past the pad or marker. As long as you released the disc while your plant foot was still on the ground and within the pad you are fine. You are allowed to keep moving forward after the release of a drive or approach.

The only time you can not do this is inside the circle (10 meters) during putts, that would be considered a falling putt.

 

[rd.bittle]

You can do a face plant off the front of the tee pad after the disc is released if you so desire. Just as long as supporting points were on the teepad when releasing.

 

[joegraham]

The three meter reference ONLY applies to when a "tee pad is not provided" like just two stones or flags on the ground. THEN and only then you have 3 meters behind the two stones or flags. If a pad is provided, you must tee within it, and you can throw from the very back of the pad after walking up to it from behind or the side.

PDGA web site rules (and when you join, you get a hard copy): http://www.pdga.com/rules/official-rules-disc-golf

 

[BogeyNoMore]

The three meter reference ONLY applies to when a "tee pad is not provided" like just two stones or flags on the ground. THEN and only then you have 3 meters behind the two stones or flags. If a pad is provided, you must tee within it, and you can throw from the very back of the pad after walking up to it from behind or the side.

PDGA web site rules (and when you join, you get a hard copy): http://www.pdga.com/rules/official-rules-disc-golf

And while we're being technical, shouldn't the 3 meter rule also be applicable when the TD designates the teeing area, say next to an existing tee pad that's unsafe?