Scoring, par, penalties, and terminology—with a level of precision that no one else provides: “birdie” and “bogey” are not official PDGA terms.
Scoring in disc golf is disarmingly simple: you count your throws. The lowest total wins. That’s it.
But there are nuances that matter—especially if you’re playing in a league or tournament—and a point of terminology that almost every article gets wrong.
The Basic Rule
PDGA Rule 808:
“A player’s score on a hole is the total number of throws, including penalty throws. The total score for the round is the sum of all hole scores, plus any additional penalty throws.”
Two things to remember:
- Penalties are added to your throws. An out-of-bounds shot does not replace a throw—it adds one.
- You count throws, not meters. Distance is never factored into the calculation.
A Practical Example
Hole 3, par 3:
| Throw | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tee shot — the disc ends up in the trees |
| 2 | Approach — the disc goes out of bounds (OB) |
| — | +1 penalty throw for OB |
| 3 | You replay the shot; the disc lands 8 m from the basket |
| 4 | Putts — lands in the chains and stays there ✅ |
Score: 5 (4 throws + 1 penalty) on a par 3 → +2.
The par: who decides it?
The par is “the score an expert disc golf player would be expected to achieve on a given hole, playing a flawless round under normal weather conditions” (PDGA Par Guidelines).
Two important points to note:
- Par is based on an expert player, not on you. It’s perfectly normal for beginners to shoot bogeys.
- It is not an automatic value based on distance. Rule 811 is clear: “Par is determined by the tournament director.” It is the tournament director (or the course designer) who sets it.
On municipal courses in Quebec, the vast majority of holes are par 3s.
Vocabulary—and the Clarification Nobody Makes
Here’s the truth: the terms “birdie,” “bogey,” and “ace” do not appear in ANY official PDGA document.
They are not defined in either the Official Rules of Disc Golf or the Competition Manual. They are borrowed from traditional golf and universally used by the community—but they are not official terms. Be wary of articles that present them as “the PDGA rule.”
That said, everyone uses them, and here’s what they mean:
| Term | Meaning | On a par 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Ace (one-putt) | Into the basket directly from the tee | 1 |
| Eagle | 2 strokes under par | 1 |
| Birdie | 1 stroke under par | 2 |
| Par | The expected score | 3 |
| Bogey | 1 stroke over par | 4 |
| Double bogey | 2 strokes over | 5 |
On a par 3, an ace and an eagle are the same score (1)—we say “ace” because it’s from the tee.
Other terms you’ll hear on the course:
- Drive: the opening throw
- Approach (upshot): the throw between the drive and the putt
- Putt: any throw made within 10 meters of the target
- Lie: the spot from which you throw again
- Circle 1 / C1: inside the 10-meter circle
- Circle 2 / C2: between 10 and 20 meters
Penalties and Their Costs
All penalties add throws to your score:
| Situation | Penalty | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Out of Bounds (OB) | +1 throw | 806.02 |
| Lost disc (after 3 min) | +1 throw | 805.03 |
| Missed mandatory | +1 throw | 804.01 |
| Position foul (foot) | +1 throw | 802.04 / 802.07 |
| Moving without balance within the 10-meter circle | +1 stroke | 806.01 |
| Illegal marking of the lie | Warning, then +1 | 802.06 |
| Throwing an illegal disc | +2 throws | 813.01 |
The most common mistake: believing that going out of bounds costs 2 strokes. It’s 1. The 2-stroke penalty applies only in one specific case: when the tournament director allows you to go directly to a drop zone.
Keeping Score
In recreational play, keep track on your phone with our free scorecard or on paper. In tournaments, the rules are stricter:
- Each player must keep a separate scorecard for the entire group. Refusal = disqualification.
- Scorecard not submitted within 30 minutes = 2-stroke penalty.
- Scorecard with an incorrect total = 2-stroke penalty.
How it works: At the end of each hole, players call out their score aloud, and everyone writes it down. The two scorecards are compared—this is called cross-checking.
How to Read a Score
Scores are expressed relative to the cumulative par, not as a gross total:
- −3 (“minus three”) = 3 strokes under the cumulative par → excellent
- E or Even = equal to par
- +5 = 5 strokes over par
On an 18-hole course consisting entirely of par-3 holes, the total par is 54. A player who finishes with a score of 51 is at −3.
To put this in perspective: a beginner who finishes 18 holes at +15 or +20 is playing perfectly normally. A regular recreational player typically scores around +5 to +10. Professionals regularly play under par.
Finishing a Hole: The Rule We Forget
Pay attention to this detail (Rule 807): to complete a hole, the disc must come to rest supported by the basket or the chains beneath the chain support.
A disc that hits the chains and bounces back out has not completed the hole. You must replay from where it stopped, and that throw counts. It’s frustrating, it happens often, and many beginners mistakenly count the hole as completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are points scored in disc golf?
You count the total number of throws, including penalties. The lowest total wins.
How much does an out-of-bounds throw cost?
1 penalty throw (Rule 806.02)—not 2.
Are “birdie” and “bogey” official rules?
No. These terms do not appear in any official PDGA documents. They come from golf and are universally used, but are not part of the official rules.
What is an “ace”?
A one-shot hole: the disc goes from the tee directly into the basket. It is the most celebrated feat in the sport.
Who decides a hole’s par?
The tournament director (Rule 811), or the course designer. It isn’t automatically tied to distance.
Do you need an app to keep score?
No, but it’s handy. Our Plein Air Québec scorecard does all the math automatically, handles up to 4 players and keeps a per-course leaderboard — free, right in your browser.
This guide is part of our disc golf series:
- 🏆 [How to Play Disc Golf: The Complete Guide](/guides/how-to-play-disc golf)
- [How to Throw a Disc](/guides/throwing-a-disc-in-disc golf)
- Which discs to choose as a beginner
- [Find a course near you](/disc golf) — 69 courses in Quebec
