As we head into the 2026 season, there are several significant updates to the PDGA Official Rules of Disc Golf and Competition Manual. Some of these changes are global, while others are from the international guide and are specific for events held in Australia.
Below is a summary of the major changes you need to be aware of for your events this year.
Major Rule Changes (Effective Jan 1, 2026)
- Mandatory Scoring for All Players (Now Mandatory in Australia): Following the 2025 transition period, every player on a card must now keep an independent scorecard for the entire group. A player who refuses to keep score must be disqualified.
- New “45-Second” Fairway Rule: The traditional 30-second clock still applies to tee shots, drop zones, and putts within 20 meters. However, for all other fairway shots (scrambles/approaches), players now have 45 seconds.
- Addressing the Lie (Clock Start): The clock now officially starts when a player “addresses their lie.” This includes actions like marking with a mini, using a rangefinder, or clearing casual obstacles.
- Group Voting (Thrower Excluded): When a group needs to vote on a ruling (e.g., OB or a stance violation), the thrower is now excluded from the initial vote. If the remaining players are tied, only then does the thrower vote to break the tie. Lobbying the group for a favourable call is now a courtesy violation.
- Relief areas: These are now named required relief areas and casual areas to avoid confusion. Required relief areas are played like out of bounds, but without a penalty throw, (you cannot also take line of play relief or return to the previous lie without penalty); casual areas allow for optional relocation without penalty.
- Casual obstacles: can be moved by a player without penalty. A casual obstacle must not be an item intentionally placed as part of the course, embedded into the playing surface and is not a larger item such as a large branch or rock.
TD Cheat Sheet: Quick Reminders for Players
To help your players adjust during the first few events of the year, here are the key bullet points for your player meetings:
- Scorekeeping: “Everyone on the card must keep score. If you don’t have a phone for digital scoring, you must use a paper card.”
- Fairway Clock: “You have 30 seconds on the tee and green, but 45 seconds on the fairway once you’ve addressed your lie.”
- Group Rulings: “If there’s a call to be made, the thrower stays quiet while the rest of the card votes. No lobbying for your own safe call.”
- Casual Obstacles: “You can move loose debris, but if it takes two people to move it, it’s not a casual obstacle—leave it alone.”
- Required Relief Areas: “If you land in a required relief area, you must take relief without a penalty, but you play it like OB (no line-of-play relief).”
For a full breakdown of the clerical and minor changes, please review the Official PDGA 2026 Update Page and international guide https://www.pdga.com/international/international-program-guide
One section of the PDGA International Program Guide we’d like to remind organisers of is the Target Requirements section.
Best of luck with your events this season!