A. Rules governing special conditions that may exist on the course shall be clearly defined and disseminated to all players prior to the start of the tournament.

B. The drop zone may be utilized in special conditions. The director must announce prior to the tournament how it is to be used and if a penalty throw is to be assessed. If no penalty is announced prior to the tournament, none will be assessed for use of the drop zone in special conditions.

A. Shotgun Starts (rounds where several groups start simultaneously): At a scheduled time, scorecard(s) shall be distributed to the player listed first on each hole. After the cards have been distributed, groups shall be given adequate time to reach their assigned teeing areas. A loud noisemaker, such as an air horn, shall be used to indicate that there are two minutes remaining until tee off. This signal shall be a series of short blasts. At this time, players are to end practice and all practice shots and move promptly to their teeing areas. A throw by a player between the two minute signal and the start of the round shall receive a warning if observed by two or more players or an official. After being warned, subsequent throws by the player during this period, if observed by two or more players or an official, shall result in one penalty throw added to the player's score, regardless of the number of throws. An extended blast of the noisemaker begins the round and signals the scorekeepers to call the throwing orders. If a player is not present to throw when it is his or her turn, the scorekeeper shall allow 30 seconds. If the player has not thrown after the 30 seconds has elapsed, a score of par plus four is to be entered for that hole. This procedure continues on any subsequent holes for which a player is absent. No holes shall be replayed. If a complete round is missed, or if a player does not finish a round, the player may, at the discretion of the director, be disqualified.

B. Staggered Starts (rounds where groups start one after another on a certain hole): The player shall start at the time announced by the director. Players may practice until their group prepares to tee off provided their practice does not distract players on the course. If a player is not present to throw when it is his or her turn, the scorekeeper shall allow 30 seconds. If the player has not thrown by then, a score of par plus four is to be entered for that hole. This procedure continues on any subsequent tee offs for which a player is absent. No holes shall be replayed. If a complete round is missed, or if a player does not finish a round, the player may, at the discretion of the director, be disqualified.

A. The player listed first on the scorecard or, in the case of individual scorecards, listed first among the group on the leader board, is responsible for picking up the scorecard(s) prior to the start of the round and is the first scorekeeper. Players in the group shall rotate the scorekeeping responsibility proportionally, unless a player or a scorekeeper volunteers to score keep more and this is acceptable to all members of the group.

B. After each hole is completed, the scorekeeper shall call out each player's name. The called player shall answer with the score in a manner that is clear to all players of the group and the scorekeeper. The scorekeeper shall record that score and read it back, in a manner that is clear to all players of the group. If there is any disagreement about the score a player reports, the group must review the hole and attempt to arrive at the correct score. If the group cannot reach consensus on the player's score, they shall consult 803.00 C

C. Warnings and penalty throws given to a player for rules infractions should be noted on the scorecard.

D. At the end of the round, each player shall sign his or her scorecard indicating that he or she attests to the accuracy of the score on each hole and the total score. If all the players of the group agree that a hole score was recorded in error, the score may be changed prior to the scorecard being turned in. Players whose scorecards are turned in unsigned accept responsibility for the scores reported.

E. All players are responsible for returning their scorecards within 25 minutes after the completion of a round. Failure to do so shall result in the assessment of two penalty throws, without a warning, to each player listed on the late scorecard.

F. After the scorecard is turned in, the score shall stand with no appeal, except for the following circumstances:
(1) Penalty throws may be assessed at whatever time the infraction is discovered until the director declares the tournament officially over or all awards have been distributed.
(2) If it is determined that the total score was incorrectly recorded, either by an error on a hole score or by an error in totaling the hole scores, including omission of the total score, the director shall add two penalty throws to the correct total score.
(3) Late Scorecard. See 804.03 E.

A. If, in the opinion of the director, excessive rain or hazardous conditions exist that make it impractical or dangerous to continue play, the tournament shall be suspended. The signal to suspend play shall be the same as the signal to start.

B. Players should immediately stop play and mark the lie of each member of the group. A natural object is sufficient to mark the approximate lie from which the player shall resume play. Players shall then return to the first teeing area, clubhouse, or area designated by the director.

C. Players shall resume play from their approximate lies as established when the round was halted. The approximate lie is determined by a majority of the group.

D. The director may allow players to take a break while waiting for weather to improve, but may require players to return each hour on the hour or at a time assigned by the director until play resumes or until the round is postponed.

E. The director may postpone the incomplete portion of the round for a later date if, in the director's opinion, the conditions will not improve or if darkness will fall prior to the projected finish time.

F. Partial round scores shall be carried forward to the completion of the round whenever the round is resumed.

G. A player who stops playing before a signal to stop has been given shall receive two penalty throws if, in the opinion of the director, the player stopped playing prematurely.

A. A player may be disqualified by the director for meeting any of the necessary conditions of disqualification as set forth in the rules, or for any of the following:
(1) Unsportsmanlike conduct, such as; loud cursing, throwing things in anger (other than discs in play), or overt rudeness to anyone present.
(2) Willful and overt destruction or abuse of plant life, course hardware, or any other property considered part of the disc golf course or the park.
(3) Cheating: a willful attempt to circumvent the rules of play.
(4) Activities which are in violation of the law or park regulation or disc golf course rule, including the illegal consumption of drugs or alcohol. Directors are granted the discretion to disqualify a player based on the severity of the offending conduct. An official warning of disqualification may be issued by a director where appropriate.

B. Disqualified players shall forfeit any prize money and shall not receive a refund of entry fees.

C. A player in violation of any section under 804.05 A is also subject to suspension from the PDGA Tour. Suspension from the PDGA Tour may only be assigned by the PDGA Commissioner. A player may appeal his or her suspension to the PDGA Board of Directors. The determination to suspend, and the length of the suspension, shall be based on the severity of the action and the extent to which the player may have committed repeated violations.

A. Professional and Amateur players should not be grouped together, and all players from different divisions shall be segregated from each other during play as much as practicable.

B. All players within a division shall be randomly grouped for the first round and grouped by cumulative score for each round thereafter.

C. Groups shall not be less than three players, except under extenuating circumstances, as deemed necessary by the director, to promote fairness. In cases where fewer than three players are required to play together, an official is required to accompany the group and may play as long as this does not interfere with the competing players.

D. When there are more entrants than can play together in one round, the field of competitors may be split into sections. These sections shall be seeded, i.e., each section should have an equal number of top players and lesser players.

E. If conditions differentially affect play among seeded sections, the director may consider using a sectioning procedure for cut and advancement. Under this procedure, a proportionate number of advancing players are taken from each section by score and the scores are not carried forward.

F. If a cut is made, it shall be done to a number that allows all advancing players to play at the same time.

A. If there is a tie at the level of a cut, all players at that level shall advance.

B. Between rounds when the groups are being reset, tied positions shall be broken. The player with the lowest score in the most recent round shall have the highest ranking when the scorecards/positions are reset. In the event of low score ties, the ties shall be broken by the director through any consistently applied manner.

C. Final ties for first place must be broken by sudden death play. Sudden death play shall begin with hole number one unless a different hole is designated by the director prior to the start of the tournament. Final ties for other ranks shall be officially recorded as ties. Prize money distribution to tied players (other than for first place) shall be determined by adding the total money allocated to the number of positions represented by the tied players and dividing that by the number of players tied. Trophy distribution for ties may be determined by sudden death play or by any related disc golf skill event determined by the director.

A. The following classifications shall be used for all PDGA sanctioned tournaments except the PDGA Amateur World Championships. See 804.08 H. All female players may compete in duplicate divisions as those offered for male players. Female players may compete in male divisions if they choose, but male players may not compete in female divisions. A director may, by giving adequate public notice, restrict the divisions offered. Absent such notice, the director shall offer for competition any division which has four or more players in attendance.

B. A player may not enter a division below that which they are registered with the PDGA. A player may enter a division above their PDGA registered division. A player may enter a division which is parallel to their PDGA division. For example, a player registered in Advanced may play in an Advanced Master division.

C. A player may only compete in a single division of a tournament at one time. Where a tournament offers different divisions at different times, a director may allow a player to play in multiple divisions.

D. Professional Divisions: In professional divisions, players compete for money.
(1) Open: The top professional division, available to players of any age.
(2) Master: A professional division available to players at least 40 years of age in the year the tournament begins.
(3) Grand Master: A professional division available to players at least 50 years of age in the year the tournament begins.
(4) Senior Grand Master: A professional division available to players at least 60 years of age in the year the tournament begins.
(5) Legends: A professional division available to players at least 70 years of age in the year the tournament begins.

E. Amateur Divisions: Amateur players compete for trophies and/or prizes.
(1) Advanced: The top amateur division.
(2) Intermediate: An amateur division for players who have developed basic skills and/or have tournament experience.
(3) Novice: An amateur division for beginning players.
(4) Juniors (under 19): An amateur division for players under 19 years of age on the date the tournament ends.
(5) Juniors (under 16): An amateur division for players under 16 years of age on the date the tournament ends.
(6) Juniors (under 13): An amateur division for players under 12 years of age on the date the tournament ends.
(7) Juniors (under 10): An amateur division for players under 10 years of age on the date the tournament ends.
(8) Amateur divisions combining age restrictions and amateur skill levels: Examples would include Advanced Master, Intermediate Grand Master and Novice Senior Grand Master.

F. Amateur Status: A player relinquishes amateur status by competing in a Professional division of a PDGA sanctioned event and accepting prize money for finishing in that professional division. A player also relinquishes amateur status by accepting prizes in lieu of prize money for finishing in that professional division. Accepting money for winning an ancillary contest such as an ace pool does not cause a player to relinquish his or her amateur status. A player may also relinquish amateur status by registering in a professional division with the PDGA. See 804.08 H for eligibility in the PDGA Amateur World Championships. Any prize money that is declined by an amateur player shall pass down to the next finishing position.

G. A director may not restrict a player from playing in the division which the player is registered with the PDGA, unless the director has established a fair procedure which gives players advance notice and said procedure has been approved by the PDGA Competition Director. A director may not forbid a player from competing in a Professional division for which the player qualifies and which division is being offered for competition.

H. PDGA Amateur World Championships Eligibility: Current PDGA members registered in an Amateur division who have not relinquished their amateur status are eligible to play, once invited, in the PDGA Amateur World Championships. A player registered in a Professional division who has not accepted prize money in a sanctioned tournament at any time and who was registered in an Amateur division for the immediately preceding calendar year is eligible to play, once invited, in the PDGA Amateur World Championships.

I. Requests for Reclassification: A player may change his or her classification to a higher division by making the request, along with payment of any related fees, to the PDGA Administrator. A player may request reclassification to a lower division by petitioning the PDGA Competition director. If a lower reclassification is granted, the player may not compete in the lower division for 60 days.

A. To be eligible to serve as an official, an individual must have demonstrated knowledge of the rules by passing the Official's Qualification Test. Upon significant changes to the Rules of Play, the PDGA Board of Directors may require officials to pass an updated Official's Qualification Test to retain certification as an official.

B. Directors are required to pass the Official's Qualification Test.

C. Each official must pass the PDGA Officials exam, and must carry a copy of the rules.

D. Non-playing certified officials may actively make rulings during any tournament play that they witness. If an official competes in a tournament, he or she may not officiate for any ruling within his or her own division. The official's ruling supersedes the ruling of the group, but appeal may be made to the tournament director. The director may empower non-certified officials to act as spotters for a specific purpose. The ruling of such a spotter supersedes the ruling of the group.