Glossary of Disc Golf Terms For Beginners

Disc golf has some unique terminology. Here is a basic dictionary to help newer players understand those unfamiliar words they hear on the course. If you know a common disc golf term used that’s not found in the list here, please share it in the comments below.

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10-meter circle or – The circle around a basket that indicates how a player may putt. Inside the circle, a player must show balance after releasing the disc and cannot fall forward. The circle is 10 meters, or 32 feet and about 9 ¾ inches, from the basket. If no circle is painted on the course, it is up to group consensus as to whether a disc is closer than 10 meters.

150 class – A class of discs that weigh less than 160g. 150 class discs are the only golf discs allowed in some countries.

A

Ace – A ‘hole-in-one’. Throwing the disc into the basket from the tee box in one throw.

Aerobie - A flat flying ring. The Aerobie Pro Ring holds the world distance record for a flying object at 1,333 feet (1/4 Mile!). Also, a manufacturer or flying toys and disc golf products.

Air bounce (air bump) – When a disc rises suddenly during flight due to wind.

Albatross (double eagle) – When a player completes a hole three under par.

Anhyzer (Anny) – When a player throws a disc at an angle (for a RHBH player) that has the left side of the disc higher than the right upon release. The goal in using this type of throw is to get the disc to fly to the right initially.

Anny (see ‘Anhyzer’)

Approach – (Upshot) The shot that will get close enough to the basket to putt.

Approach Disc –A slower-speed, stable disc designed for second drives, approach shots and long putts. These discs are also commonly referred to as “Mid-Range” or “Multi-purpose” discs.

Approximate Lie –A lie established by the player's group in order to resume play following a rain or hazardous conditions delay, a lost disc, a lost mini marker disc, or to correct a misplay from out-of-bound.

Away (away player) – A player whose disc lands farthest from the basket. They will be the next to throw. Also referred to as “out”.

B

Backhand – A grip and throw where the back of the player’s grip hand is generally facing the basket until the disc leaves the thrower’s hand.

Bag tag – a tag, usually made of plastic or metal, with a number and a club’s name. Members of the club who have a bag tag will play tags rounds, wherein the player with the lowest score gets the tag with the lowest number. They encourages friendly competition and give the best players bragging rights.

Bagger (short for Sandbagger) – Someone who plays in a division below his capabilities in order to have a better chance of winning.

Basket – A device designed to catch a disc by using a number of chains to stop its flight.

Bead – A ridge or edge on the bottom of the rim of a disc.

Birdie – When a player completes a hole one under par.

Black ace – When a player throws from a tee pad into an unintended basket in one throw.

Blow through – When a disc hits the center part of the chains of a basket, but travels through without stopping in the basket.

BOB (Back Of the Bus) – A term that refers to the last player to tee off, because they had the highest score on the previous hole.

Bogie – Finishing a hole with one throw more than par (1 over Par, or “One Up”).

Bottom Stamp (BS) –A disc that has a blank topside (dome) and a hotstamp on the underside (bottom) of the disc.

Brick – A disc that does not glide well and quickly falls to the ground.Bounce out (bounce back) – When a disc hits the pole in the center of the chains with enough force that the disc bounces out of the basket.

C

Cali (short for California) – A term used in doubles rounds. If there is one player without a partner, he plays as a Cali player and gets an extra throw on each hole. The extra throw may be used on the drive, approach, or putt.

Candy Plastic – Another name for golf discs made from translucent plastic, like the Innova Champion, Discraft Elite-Z, Discmania's C-Line, and Millennium Quantum lines of discs. These discs sometimes look like hard candy so "Candy" became this plastic's nickname.  Often known as Jolly Rancher plastic.

Card – Refers to a score card, and may refer to all the players that start on the same hole (card) during a tournament. Also used as a verb referring to the score a player got on a hole (“Alan carded a three on hole seven”)

Casual (casual relief) –Hazard on a course that won’t result in a penalty. If a disc lands on or in a casual hazard, the player marks their lie behind the hazard (the side away from the basket).

Casual water – Usually non-permanent water on a course that won’t result in a penalty.

Chastity belt – The metal band around the top of some brands of baskets.

Circle, the – Refers to the 10-meter circle around a basket. Whether a disc lies in or out of the circle determines how a player may putt. (see 10-meter circle)

Come-back putt – A players attempt to putt following a missed putt that traveled past the basket.

Crosswind - A wind blowing from left-to-right or right-to-left.

CTP – “Closest to The Pin” A contest where the winner is the person whose disc lands the closest to the basket, usually on the drive.

Cut roll – When a player attempts to throw a roller, but once on the ground the disc doesn’t get vertical enough and rolls to the left (with a RHBH throw). Could also refer to a thrown disc that hits at an angle and rolls.

D

Death putt – When a player is putting toward a basket that has a hazard, OB, or obstacle behind it.

Distance Driver – Golf discs with the thickest rims that have the most potential to go far.

DFL – “Dead ******* Last” A term for the player who takes last place in a tournament or division.

DNF – “Did Not Finish” When a player starts a tournament but does not finish. For PDGA standards players who do not finish a tournament are marked with a ‘999’ or an ‘888’ code showing that their score entered represents an incomplete tournament.

Drive – The first throw from a tee pad. Can also refer to a long subsequent throw.

Driver – A higher speed rated disc usually used for the initial throw from a tee pad.

Drop zone – An area designated as a spot to throw from if the prior throw missed a mando or goes Out of Bounds (OB).

E

Eagle – When a player completes a hole two under par.

F

Fade – The last number of the common four-number flight rating of a disc. Refers to how far the disc drifts to the left (RHBH throw) as it slows down near the end of its flight (low speed stability).

Fairway driver – A disc that has a speed rating of 6-9. Commonly used for shorter holes or on second throws on a long hole. This is a driver, but does not have a rim as thick as a distance driver.

Fairway ace (Field ace) – Throwing the disc into the basket from a long ways away, but not from the tee pad.

Falling putt – When a player putts with a lie inside the circle and doesn’t maintain balance following the putt, but instead falls forward, resulting in a warning for the first offense and a penalty for subsequent falling putts.

Fan grip – A type of backhand grip where the fingers are spread out on the bottom of the flight plate. It is used to gain more control of the flight of the disc.

Fast Green - The term used to show that the green around the basket in either on a slope or some other condition that makes it difficult to land and/or stop your disc when it lands there.

Flex (flex shot) – A type of throw where a player gets the disc to turn to the right (on a RHBH throw) prior to fading left at the end. The shape of the shot is achieved by throwing a stable or overstable disc on an anhyzer angle.

Flick – Another name for a sidearm or forehand throw.

Flight plate – The part of a disc inside the circumference of the rim. Can be flat or have a dome. The part where the stamp is located.

Flight rating – How the disc is designed to fly. The most common measurement is the four-number flight system representing the disc’s speed, glide, high-speed stability (turn), and low-speed stability (fade).

Flippy (flip) – A term for a very understable disc. One that has a tendency to turn to the right when thrown with a flat RHBH throw.

Foot fault – A violation of PDGA rules that stipulate where a foot may be placed when throwing or putting.

Forehand – A type of grip and throw that has the palm of the player’s grip hand generally facing the basket (or up) until the disc leaves the thrower’s hand. This throwing motion is similar to a Tennis forehand shot.

FROLF – A slang term used to describe disc golf, usually by non-disc golfers. Combines ‘Frisbee’ and ‘Golf’.

Frisbee – The name for the traditional circular flying disc. The Frisbee is a trademarked product by Wham-O toys. Serious disc golfers don’t usually refer to golf discs as Frisbees.

Frisbee Golf – Another term for ‘disc golf’ that is typically used by recreational players.

G

Gimme – A putt from a distance almost guarantee that the disc will land in the basket.

Glide – The second number of the common four-number flight rating of a disc. Refers to a disc’s ability to maintain loft during flight.

Grenade - Throwing the disc backhand but upside down to achieve a knuckleball type of shot or skip; especially useful in strong winds.

Grip – The technique a player uses to hold the disc. (Backhand, forehand, thumber, tomahawk, etc)

Grip and rip – A term used to indicate that players should start throwing.

Grip lock – A term that refers to a thrower that releases a disc slightly late in the throw.

Guardian – A tree, bush, or other obstacle that makes it difficult to reach the basket.

H

Hazard –A hazard is an area designated by the Tournament Director which incurs a penalty throw.

Head banger – When a disc lands so close to the basket that the thrower might hit their head on the basket while picking up the disc.

Headwind - Wind blowing in your face. Causes the disc to become more flippy and increases its lift. The disc will feel faster (speed) than the same throw without wind. The opposite of a tailwind.

High-speed stability (see Turn) – The third number of the common four-number flight rating of a disc.

Holing out – Finishing a hole by getting the disc in the basket.

Honors – Earning the right to throw first by getting the best score on the previous hole.

Hyzer – When a player throws a disc at an angle (for a RHBH player) that has the right side of the disc higher than the left upon release. Can be used to hyzer flip a disc or increase the amount of fade to the left.

Hyzer flip – When a disc is thrown on a hyzer angle and it rotates (flips) and flies flat.

I

Island – An area considered inbounds but surrounded by areas that are out of bounds.

J

Jump putt – A technique used for putting outside of the 10-meter circle. A player jumps toward the basket while putting to give the disc more speed and a longer flight.

K

Kick – The change of direction a disc has when it hits a tree or other object. “Kicks” may be favorable or unfavorable.

L

Lay-up – When a player attempts to get their disc near the basket for an easy putt.

Lid – This term is used to describe Frisbees or discs with thin rims that float and fly more like traditional freestyle discs. Discs like the Discraft Rattler, Innova Birdie, Polecat, and Sonic are prime examples of “lids”.

Lie – The spot where a disc comes to rest. A player can leave the disc where it is to mark the lie, or use a mini marker.

Line – A route that a player could throw their disc. A well-planned hole may have several different lines to accommodate different throwing styles

Low-speed stability (see Fade) – The fourth number of the common four-number flight rating of a disc.

M

Mando – Short for ‘mandatory’. The route a disc must take around an object, such as a tree or pole. Usually, an arrow will mark the direction the disc must take. With double mandos, the disc must pass between the two objects.

Marker (or marker disc) – The mini disc used to mark a lie.

Meathook – A disc that is VERY overstable is commonly referred to as a meathook. Meathook discs will hyzer out very quickly after release.

Midrange – A disc used for shorter shots or approaches. Midrange discs have slower speeds than drivers and thinner rims (wings).

Mini marker (or mini) – A small disc used to mark the lie of a disc. It is placed in front of the disc (toward the basket) and the disc is picked up. The thrower’s foot must be within 30cm of the mini on the next throw.

O

OB (out of bounds) – An area outside the playing area of a course. Discs landing OB result in a penalty stroke.

Overhead shot – Also known as overhand. A type of throw where the disc is released in an upward motion. Usually with a tomahawk or thumber grip.

Overstable – A disc that will curve and fade hard. This fade is a curve to the left on a RHBH throw.

P

Par – The expected number of throws it will take to get in the basket from the tee pad.

Parked – When the disc lands next to or under the basket on a drive or approach.

PDGA – The Professional Disc Golf Association. This is the governing body for disc golf that establishes rules and technical standards for tournament play.

Penalty stroke – An extra stroke a player received by going OB, missing a mando, or violating a rule.

Peninsula – An inbounds area similar to an island, only not completely surrounded by OB.

Pin High - When your thrown disc lands even (in height) with the basket. The disc doesn't necessarily need to be close to the basket. Consider a "T", with the basket where the two lines cross. If the disc is anywhere along the crossbar, it's considered pin high.

Pizza putt (see Turbo putt) – A style of putting where the putt is made high in the air above the head.

Power grip – A backhand grip used for maximum distance. The fingers are close together and are held against the inside of the rim or the bottom of the flight plate.

Push putt – A style of putting where little spin is put on the disc. Instead, the disc is pushed, or shoveled, toward the basket.

Putt – A short throw of the disc in an attempt to make it into the basket.

R

Rating – This typically refers to the PDGA rating. The PDGA rating is a number that reflects ones approximate skill level based on previous tournament play. Professional disc golfers typically have ratings above 970.

Relief - A change made to the player's lie or surrounding area, such that an obstacle is removed from the vicinity, or when that is impractical, the lie is relocated away from the obstacle.

RHBH – Short for ‘right-handed backhand’. A type of throw where a person throws with their right hand with a backhand throw. Other throws are RHFH for ‘right-handed forehand’, and the equivalent throws for left-handed players, LHBH and LHFH. When discussing disc flight it is important to make this distinction.

Rim – The outer portion of the disc. The width of the rim primarily determines the speed of the disc. Generally speaking, the wider the rim, the higher the speed number.

Rim Depth – The height of a rim, or how deep a rim is. The distance between the flight plate and the bottom of the disc measured from the inside of the distance.