Disc Golf Glossary Abbreviations & Slang - Talk The Talk Before You Walk

What’s up pardner? Here’s a cool list that will give you a good grounding in disc golf terminology, from A to Z.

Learn to strut before you putt.

But Before You Start Throwing Here Are Some Basic Disc Golf Rules & Etiquette That Will Keep You On Course

Make sure the landing area you are aiming at is free of people before you throw. If you are new to disc golf and are not confident your disc will get to your spot just make sure players are well out of the way before you go.

1. Begin at the teeing area and when you throw let the disc go before you reach the front of the tee.
2. Once you’ve left the tee the next throw should always be taken from behind where your disc landed (known as the lie) on the previous shot. If your disc lands in an area you can’t throw from, like up a tree, the lie will be on the ground right below or or beside it if you hit a bush.
3. You can still do a run-up but you must release the disc before over stepping the lie. Follow throughs are allowed.
4. A putt has to be thrown inside 10 meters from the basket. On putts you can’t move beyond your lie until the disc lands.
5. Once the disc lands in the basket or chains the hole is complete. It is not finished if the disc rests on top of the target.
6. If your disc goes OOB (out of bounds) you invoke a 1 stroke penalty. Move the disc back to the last place you where in-bounds, or go back to the tee.

Unclassified Terms

150 class – smaller weight discs under 160 gram that are used in tournaments in places like Japan. Started out for tournaments and courses that had restricted space size and safety concerns. Yes I can really see that 10 or 20 grams stopping someone from being decapitated. Go figure.

10 meter circle – area around disc basket that determines putting style. Inside the ‘circle of trust’ a player must demonstrate balance and not fall over after  the disc release. Disclaimer – i just made that circle of trust bit up. So don’t argue to death with your buddies you’re inside the COT or they’ll rightfully hammer you with their walkstools.

Abbreviations/Acronyms/Glossary

A

Ace – a hole in one, just like in regular golf where it takes one stroke to get the ball in the hole, in disc golf you ace when it takes one throw from the tee to get the disc in the basket.

Air Bounce/Bump – when your disc all of a sudden catches a gust of air and rises sharply.

Albatross/Double Eagle – taking the nod from ball golf disc golf have adapted similar terminology. When you hit a double eagle or flight an albatross your have complete a hole three under par . This is hard to do, with a touch of fortune you’ll hit an ace and bank an Albatross. When you do pat yourself on the back and enjoy the satisfaction of being a GOAT.

Am-side (Weak Side) – For a RH player, the left side of the basket is what a pro can tend to avoid hitting in case the spin on their disc causes it to splash out when it hits those chains. DG is a percentage game so players can take this shot it depends on how cautious or aggressive they want to play. Or try and float that disc more to the right and curl it back in.

Anhyzer (Anny) – Disc angle upon release – so a RHBH player will tilt the disc down to the right, with the left side sitting higher. The aim is to flight the disc to the right in the initial stages of its trajectory. Ultimate Frisbee calls the anhyzer  an outside-in and the hyzer is known as  an inside-out.

See our Throwing Analysis – Hyzer vs Anhyzer post here to understand the difference.

Approach /Lay-up Shot  – The approach shot is designed to get you as close to the basket as possible so your next shot can have a reasonable chance at a putt. With an approach shot you also have an outside chance of an ace as well if things go your way

Approach Disc – Known as utility discs, a mid-range, putter, or “putt-and-approach discs” are your weapon of choice when you are approaching the basket.  You can use a straight flying mid-range disc for example to make a longer putt as you approach the basket.

Away/Away Player)  – The player whose lie is farthest from the basket. This makes them the next player to take a throw.

B

Backhand Grip – This sounds more complicated than it is.  You grip the disc with your thumb positioned on the flight plate. Your fingers curl up under the disc with one or more pressing into the rim. The back of your hand faces the basket as you begin your throw.

Backhand throw – with the said backhand grip above pull your throwing arm back and swing it back out and release the disc. Forearms throws use the opposite palm position.

Bag tag – those little lumps of plastic or metal name tags. Put your number or your clubs name on it. The person with the lowest score gets a tag with the lowest number. Club members will play for the bag tag. Whoever wins it can brag they have the ‘Bag Tag’.

Bagger – An abbreviation for sandbagger this refers to someone who competes in a division who has superior skills to the other players so they have an advantage (unfair??) and are more likely to win.

Basket – The ultimate end goal getting of each hole is getting the disc in the basket. The satisfying ching of those chains that we spend all our time chasing……Check out our post here on ‘the best discs golf baskets here to practice in’ if you need help deciding which basket to buy.

Bead – this is a piece of plastic molded on the disc underside. It creates an edge or circular ridge on the rim. Discs can can small or large beads. A bead is like a set of brakes that can help a disc stop quicker once it lands.

Beadless – A disc without no bead which creates a smooth rim with a rounded edge.

Beat In –  describes a disc that has been seasoned with use. Some discs take longer to beat in than others. A beat in disc can become more understable than it was when it was when it was just new

a disc that has hit many trees, has been used for a considerable period of time in which the flight characteristics have changed to be more understable than when the disc was new

Birdie – Completing a hole one shot under the baskets par – so for a par 4 hole if you get into the basket in 3 shots you’ve just made a ‘birdie’.

Black Ace – When a player lands their first shot of the tee into the wrong basket – Always a source of amusement for your buddies – an ace only a ‘black’ ace (slang).

Blow through (Cut-Through) – This term classifies when a disc rattles the chains of the basket and keeps going right through and out the other side.

BOB (Bottom Of the Board) – You’ve heard of the GOAT, well the BOB is the last player to throw. Also known as Back Of The Box

Bogey – another legacy from ball golf you get a ‘bogey’ when you complete a hole 1 stroke above its par. So for a par 4 hole, you make the basket in 3 throws you make a BOGEY. See Double Bogey below

Bottom Stamp – A disc with a stamp on the disc underside (bottom) and is faceless on the top.

Bounce Back/Bounce Out (Spit Out/Kick Out)– When a disc is thrown with such power the pole/chains spit it straight back out. Also known as a ‘spit out’, ‘spit back’ or “kick out”

Brick – A disc with little to no that drops like a stone (brick) to the ground.

Bullet Putt/Come Back Putt/Jam Putt – a putt thrown with speed to achieve a straight flight. With speed the discs is more prone to bounce backs/spit backs making the next shot a longer ‘come back’ putt.

C

Cali (Abbrev for California) – In doubles a Cali player plays alone and gets an extra drive/approach/putt/ throw to compensate for having no partner at each hole.

Card (Scorecard) – either means

1. players starting on the same card (hole) – The score achieved on a hole  – so if you make the basket in 2 you can say I carded a 2 on hole 4 –
2. in the actual game all scores are logged on the scorecard – but remember to turn it in at the end of the competition or your score will be nullified just like in ball Golf

Casual Relief/Casual Water/Casual hazard – denotes non permanent water such as puddles after downpours , on a course. This hazard won’t result in a penalty and you won’t lose a stroke if your disc ends lands there.

Casual Round – For funsies, not a serious or tournament round of disc golf.

Chained Out – This is slang term used when a player makes a hole. ” Yo did you see Todd  just chained out on 9 from 250 out?”

Chase Card – the card (player) that follows the lead card (player) on the scorecard and tries to reign them in and become the new lead card 🙂

Chastity Belt/Band – The metal band that around the top of baskets that makes that nice dink when hit

Circle– Being inside the 10 meter or 33Ft circle around the basket triggers the 10 meter rule (PDGA rule 806.01). You have to show balance as you put or else you will receive a foot fault penalty. Also known as Cirlce 1.

PDGA rule 806:

1. Any throw made from within 10 meters of the target, as measured from the front of the lie to the base of the target, is a putt.
2. After having released a putt, the player must demonstrate full control of balance behind the marker disc before advancing toward the target. A player who fails to do so has committed a stance violation and receives one penalty throw.

Circle 2 – the 10 to 20m (33 to 66ft) circle zone surrounding the basket.

Circle’s Edge  – this denotes the edge of the 10 m circle zone (circle 1).

Circle 3  – illustrated as a circle or ‘p’ on the scorecard, this signals the hole incurred a penalty.

Come Back Putt (Comebacker) – After sending the previous putt beyond the basket the next shot is known as a come back putt as the player has to ‘come back’ to putt. See Bullet Putt/Jam Putt reference above.

Condor – means a hole is four (strokes) under par. It suggest a player should take 4 throws to get it from the tee to the basket

Course – where the game is played, can be 9 hole course but typically 18 especially for tournaments. Most PGDA tournaments play 18 holes twice in one day.

Course Maintenance – A fun term to describe you performing a tree clearout on the course when your disc hits a tree so hard and knocks out a branch or cluster of foliage. It provides a better line of sight and more room for players to blast discs through.

Crosswind – the joy of the elements, a crosswind is wind blowing from the side, left to right or right to left. Its another factor that can effect the flight of your disc and with experience you will learn how to accomodate it. This is a challenging part of the game because technically a wind cannot be measured in real time, you throw but wind can change at  moments “breath’ and it will arbitrarily change and oscillate according to its whim.

D

Death Putt – a tricky putt with either a hazard, obstacle or OB on the other side of the basket.

Death Roll – its just not your day when your disc goes into a death roll, usually from a blow through or spit back off the target, and subsequent roll after which it lands further away from your original lie. Then you scream at the basket or disc ‘look what you did to my score you little jerk’.

DFL – yeah you know thats the abbreviation for coming ‘Dead Freakin’ last@ and not the potty mouthed version. You know it.

DGPT – abbreviation for a Disc Golf Pro Tour

Dirty Ace – A slang phrase for a players first or second shot that doesn’t got quite to plan- that aces something freaking stupid like a dumpster or trash can, or flies into a building or through a open window for instance.

Distance Driver – high speed discs with the thickest rims with the ability to fly the furthest.

Disc Down – also known as clubbing down its when you use a slower speed disc to maintain accuracy over a high speed disc.

DNF –  Abbreviation for ‘did not finish’ in an official tournament. Cards are market either ‘888’ or ‘999’.

Dogleg  – a patch of the fairway that resembles the shape of a dogs leg

Doink -That grating sound you hear when your disc crashes into the chain rack before cascading to the ground. Don’t get too frustrated its part of the game.

Dome/Domey – a disc with a half rounded top as opposed to a flat top

Double Bogey – if a bogey is 1 under par then naturally a double bogey is finishing a hole 2 up or 2 under par.

E

F

Fade – inclination of discs to finish left at the end of a RHBH throw.

FAF –  Abbreviation for Flat and Firm this term refers to an overstable disc

Fairway – the main strip between the tee pad and the green. There is no set size defined that is up to the course designer and obviously a huge factor in this is the natural landscape.

Fairway Driver – With speed ratings of 6 to 10 a fairway driver as its named suggests is normally used on the fairway, usually as its the second shot on a longer hole. It can also be used on shorter holes. This is a driver, but it does not fly as far as a distance driver. Therefore it’s rim is not as thick. It sits in the middle between a mid-range and distance driver. If you’re trying to work your way up the disc golf skills ladder get plenty of practice in using a fairway driver before trying to master the distance driver

Fairway/Field Ace – getting the discs into the basket from a long way out, not off the tee, but from the fairway

Fairway Shot – from the fairway, a very long shot designed to get you within putting range of the basket- wouldn’t it be nice if it also lands as a Fairway Ace?

Feature Card –  a selection of players chosen by fans or sponsors to play a first round only.

Flare Skip – a phenomena with distance drivers when thrown hight that can cause high, the discs to arch

Flex Shot – shot type with an S-shaped trajectory that begins with setting an overstable disc on a anhyzer angle, it slowly turns from left to right, and eventually fades to the left for a RHBH’d thrower.

Flight Plate – top flat or domey surface of a disc.

Flippy – the propensity of a disc to turn more versus fade after it’s been released

Floater – A floating disc, describes a putting technique in which the putter is thrown with the nose upwards to gently float into the bucket.

Forehand – also known as a flick or sidearm, with the forehand grip facing the target and flicking their wrist, the thrower uses the forehand (sidearm, flick) technique.

Forehand Grip – The index and middle fingers are normally tucked within the rim with the other fingers along the outside of the rim, palm faces the sky and thumb on the flight plate.

Force-over – when you use an anhyzer with an overstable disc

Foot Fault – occurs when a player moves past their marker before releasing the disc. Incurs a 1-stroke penalty.

Frolf – good ole frisbee golf

Full Send – Throwing recklessly, as if you were destined to lose, or you jus don’t care

G

Getting Skinny – is when a disc goes through a small hole by accident

T

Tap In – a putt so easy when you can just drop or tap your disc straight into the basket – you can’t literally miss – see Drop In 

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