PDGA Certified Rules Exam Prep 2025/2026
Section 1: The Course (Rules 802.01 - 802.05)
1. What defines the out-of-bounds line?
A) The inside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
B) The outside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
C) A straight line between the nearest out-of-bounds markers at ground level.
D) A vertical plane extending upward along the line described in C. ✓
2. Your disc comes to rest in a puddle on the fairway. The water is not designated as a casual
water obstacle. What is the ruling?
A) You must play the disc as it lies.
B) You may take casual relief. ✓
C) You must take a penalty stroke and play from your previous lie.
D) The disc is considered lost.
3. A player's disc comes to rest against a tree, 50 cm from the base of the tree. The tree is
designated as a "mandatory" (Mando) obstacle. What is the correct procedure?
A) The disc is played as it lies; the mandatory only affects the flight path. ✓
B) The player receives one penalty stroke and must play from the drop zone.
C) The player receives one penalty stroke and must re-throw from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
4. What is the status of a disc that is wedged into the front of the basket's tray, not supported
by the chains?
A) It is not holed out and must be marked on the tray.
B) It is holed out. ✓
C) It is not holed out and must be marked on the supporting pallets.
D) It is considered a lost disc.
5. Your disc comes to rest on top of a large, solid concrete drain that is part of the course. The
drain is not marked as an obstacle. What is your lie?
A) The lie is directly below the disc on the playing surface.
B) The lie is on the nearest casual relief point.
C) The lie is on the nearest line of play behind the drain.
D) You must mark your lie on the playing surface directly underneath the disc. ✓
6. A player's disc comes to rest inside a garbage can that is permanently fixed to the ground.
The garbage can is not marked as OB or an obstacle. What is the ruling?
,A) Play it as it lies.
B) Take casual relief without penalty. ✓
C) Take one penalty stroke and play from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
7. What is the defining characteristic of a "Casual Area"?
A) Any area the Tournament Director deems difficult to play from.
B) An area designated by the Tournament Director from which a player may take relief. ✓
C) Any area with water, regardless of depth.
D) Any area marked with blue paint or flags.
8. A disc comes to rest in a public road that is defined as Out-of-Bounds. The player's
supporting point when putting would be on the road. What is the correct relief procedure?
A) The player must stand on the road to putt, as the disc is in-bounds.
B) The player takes one penalty stroke and establishes a lie up to 1 meter in-bounds from the
OB line. ✓
C) The player takes one penalty stroke and must re-throw from the previous lie.
D) The player takes relief without penalty up to 1 meter in-bounds.
Section 2: The Throw (Rules 805.01 - 805.04)
9. The group cannot find a player's disc after a 3-minute search. What is the correct
procedure?
A) The player is assessed one penalty throw and plays from the previous lie. ✓
B) The player is assessed two penalty throws and plays from the previous lie.
C) The player is assessed one penalty throw and plays from a drop zone.
D) The group must vote on a spot from which the player should throw.
10. A player throws a disc that becomes stuck in a tree 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) above the ground.
What is the ruling?
A) The disc is considered lost.
B) The player must play the disc as it lies, marking the lie directly below it on the ground. ✓
C) The player receives one penalty stroke and plays from the previous lie.
D) The player may shake the tree to dislodge the disc, with a one-stroke penalty.
11. What is the correct stance for a player when putting from within 10 meters of the target?
A) They must have no supporting point closer to the target than the rear edge of their marker
disc.
B) They must demonstrate balance and not fall forward until the disc is released.
C) They must not advance any supporting point beyond the front of their lie until the disc is at
,rest. ✓
D) They must have both feet on the ground behind their marker disc.
12. A player's drive lands in the fairway. They then throw the wrong disc (a different mold) for
their second shot. The error is discovered after the throw. What is the ruling?
A) The throw counts, and they play the thrown disc. ✓
B) The throw does not count, and they re-throw with the correct disc with no penalty.
C) The throw does not count, and they re-throw with the correct disc with a one-throw penalty.
D) They are disqualified for using an illegal disc.
13. During a throw, a player's foot slips and touches the ground in front of their lie after the
disc is released. This is a:
A) Legal throw.
B) Stance violation. ✓
C) Practice throw.
D) Warning only, no penalty.
14. A player's disc is in-bounds but is leaning against an OB fence. The player's stance to make
the throw would be out-of-bounds. What is the ruling?
A) The player must take a stance out-of-bounds; there is no penalty for a stance OB. ✓
B) The player receives one penalty stroke for having their stance OB.
C) The player must take casual relief.
D) The disc is now considered OB.
15. A player throws a disc that hits another player's disc that is at rest on the fairway. What is
the ruling?
PDGA Certified Rules Exam Prep 2025/2026
Instructions: Read each question carefully and select the best answer. The correct answer is
marked with a ✓.
Section 1: The Course (Rules 802.01 - 802.05)
1. What defines the out-of-bounds line?
A) The inside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
B) The outside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
C) A straight line between the nearest out-of-bounds markers at ground level.
D) A vertical plane extending upward along the line described in C. ✓
2. Your disc comes to rest in a puddle on the fairway. The water is not designated as a casual
water obstacle. What is the ruling?
, A) You must play the disc as it lies.
B) You may take casual relief. ✓
C) You must take a penalty stroke and play from your previous lie.
D) The disc is considered lost.
3. A player's disc comes to rest against a tree, 50 cm from the base of the tree. The tree is
designated as a "mandatory" (Mando) obstacle. What is the correct procedure?
A) The disc is played as it lies; the mandatory only affects the flight path. ✓
B) The player receives one penalty stroke and must play from the drop zone.
C) The player receives one penalty stroke and must re-throw from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
4. What is the status of a disc that is wedged into the front of the basket's tray, not supported
by the chains?
A) It is not holed out and must be marked on the tray.
B) It is holed out. ✓
C) It is not holed out and must be marked on the supporting pallets.
D) It is considered a lost disc.
5. Your disc comes to rest on top of a large, solid concrete drain that is part of the course. The
drain is not marked as an obstacle. What is your lie?
A) The lie is directly below the disc on the playing surface.
B) The lie is on the nearest casual relief point.
C) The lie is on the nearest line of play behind the drain.
D) You must mark your lie on the playing surface directly underneath the disc. ✓
6. A player's disc comes to rest inside a garbage can that is permanently fixed to the ground.
The garbage can is not marked as OB or an obstacle. What is the ruling?
A) Play it as it lies.
B) Take casual relief without penalty. ✓
C) Take one penalty stroke and play from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
7. What is the defining characteristic of a "Casual Area"?
A) Any area the Tournament Director deems difficult to play from.
B) An area designated by the Tournament Director from which a player may take relief. ✓
C) Any area with water, regardless of depth.
D) Any area marked with blue paint or flags.
Section 1: The Course (Rules 802.01 - 802.05)
1. What defines the out-of-bounds line?
A) The inside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
B) The outside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
C) A straight line between the nearest out-of-bounds markers at ground level.
D) A vertical plane extending upward along the line described in C. ✓
2. Your disc comes to rest in a puddle on the fairway. The water is not designated as a casual
water obstacle. What is the ruling?
A) You must play the disc as it lies.
B) You may take casual relief. ✓
C) You must take a penalty stroke and play from your previous lie.
D) The disc is considered lost.
3. A player's disc comes to rest against a tree, 50 cm from the base of the tree. The tree is
designated as a "mandatory" (Mando) obstacle. What is the correct procedure?
A) The disc is played as it lies; the mandatory only affects the flight path. ✓
B) The player receives one penalty stroke and must play from the drop zone.
C) The player receives one penalty stroke and must re-throw from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
4. What is the status of a disc that is wedged into the front of the basket's tray, not supported
by the chains?
A) It is not holed out and must be marked on the tray.
B) It is holed out. ✓
C) It is not holed out and must be marked on the supporting pallets.
D) It is considered a lost disc.
5. Your disc comes to rest on top of a large, solid concrete drain that is part of the course. The
drain is not marked as an obstacle. What is your lie?
A) The lie is directly below the disc on the playing surface.
B) The lie is on the nearest casual relief point.
C) The lie is on the nearest line of play behind the drain.
D) You must mark your lie on the playing surface directly underneath the disc. ✓
6. A player's disc comes to rest inside a garbage can that is permanently fixed to the ground.
The garbage can is not marked as OB or an obstacle. What is the ruling?
,A) Play it as it lies.
B) Take casual relief without penalty. ✓
C) Take one penalty stroke and play from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
7. What is the defining characteristic of a "Casual Area"?
A) Any area the Tournament Director deems difficult to play from.
B) An area designated by the Tournament Director from which a player may take relief. ✓
C) Any area with water, regardless of depth.
D) Any area marked with blue paint or flags.
8. A disc comes to rest in a public road that is defined as Out-of-Bounds. The player's
supporting point when putting would be on the road. What is the correct relief procedure?
A) The player must stand on the road to putt, as the disc is in-bounds.
B) The player takes one penalty stroke and establishes a lie up to 1 meter in-bounds from the
OB line. ✓
C) The player takes one penalty stroke and must re-throw from the previous lie.
D) The player takes relief without penalty up to 1 meter in-bounds.
Section 2: The Throw (Rules 805.01 - 805.04)
9. The group cannot find a player's disc after a 3-minute search. What is the correct
procedure?
A) The player is assessed one penalty throw and plays from the previous lie. ✓
B) The player is assessed two penalty throws and plays from the previous lie.
C) The player is assessed one penalty throw and plays from a drop zone.
D) The group must vote on a spot from which the player should throw.
10. A player throws a disc that becomes stuck in a tree 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) above the ground.
What is the ruling?
A) The disc is considered lost.
B) The player must play the disc as it lies, marking the lie directly below it on the ground. ✓
C) The player receives one penalty stroke and plays from the previous lie.
D) The player may shake the tree to dislodge the disc, with a one-stroke penalty.
11. What is the correct stance for a player when putting from within 10 meters of the target?
A) They must have no supporting point closer to the target than the rear edge of their marker
disc.
B) They must demonstrate balance and not fall forward until the disc is released.
C) They must not advance any supporting point beyond the front of their lie until the disc is at
,rest. ✓
D) They must have both feet on the ground behind their marker disc.
12. A player's drive lands in the fairway. They then throw the wrong disc (a different mold) for
their second shot. The error is discovered after the throw. What is the ruling?
A) The throw counts, and they play the thrown disc. ✓
B) The throw does not count, and they re-throw with the correct disc with no penalty.
C) The throw does not count, and they re-throw with the correct disc with a one-throw penalty.
D) They are disqualified for using an illegal disc.
13. During a throw, a player's foot slips and touches the ground in front of their lie after the
disc is released. This is a:
A) Legal throw.
B) Stance violation. ✓
C) Practice throw.
D) Warning only, no penalty.
14. A player's disc is in-bounds but is leaning against an OB fence. The player's stance to make
the throw would be out-of-bounds. What is the ruling?
A) The player must take a stance out-of-bounds; there is no penalty for a stance OB. ✓
B) The player receives one penalty stroke for having their stance OB.
C) The player must take casual relief.
D) The disc is now considered OB.
15. A player throws a disc that hits another player's disc that is at rest on the fairway. What is
the ruling?
PDGA Certified Rules Exam Prep 2025/2026
Instructions: Read each question carefully and select the best answer. The correct answer is
marked with a ✓.
Section 1: The Course (Rules 802.01 - 802.05)
1. What defines the out-of-bounds line?
A) The inside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
B) The outside edge of the out-of-bounds markers.
C) A straight line between the nearest out-of-bounds markers at ground level.
D) A vertical plane extending upward along the line described in C. ✓
2. Your disc comes to rest in a puddle on the fairway. The water is not designated as a casual
water obstacle. What is the ruling?
, A) You must play the disc as it lies.
B) You may take casual relief. ✓
C) You must take a penalty stroke and play from your previous lie.
D) The disc is considered lost.
3. A player's disc comes to rest against a tree, 50 cm from the base of the tree. The tree is
designated as a "mandatory" (Mando) obstacle. What is the correct procedure?
A) The disc is played as it lies; the mandatory only affects the flight path. ✓
B) The player receives one penalty stroke and must play from the drop zone.
C) The player receives one penalty stroke and must re-throw from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
4. What is the status of a disc that is wedged into the front of the basket's tray, not supported
by the chains?
A) It is not holed out and must be marked on the tray.
B) It is holed out. ✓
C) It is not holed out and must be marked on the supporting pallets.
D) It is considered a lost disc.
5. Your disc comes to rest on top of a large, solid concrete drain that is part of the course. The
drain is not marked as an obstacle. What is your lie?
A) The lie is directly below the disc on the playing surface.
B) The lie is on the nearest casual relief point.
C) The lie is on the nearest line of play behind the drain.
D) You must mark your lie on the playing surface directly underneath the disc. ✓
6. A player's disc comes to rest inside a garbage can that is permanently fixed to the ground.
The garbage can is not marked as OB or an obstacle. What is the ruling?
A) Play it as it lies.
B) Take casual relief without penalty. ✓
C) Take one penalty stroke and play from the previous lie.
D) The disc is considered out-of-bounds.
7. What is the defining characteristic of a "Casual Area"?
A) Any area the Tournament Director deems difficult to play from.
B) An area designated by the Tournament Director from which a player may take relief. ✓
C) Any area with water, regardless of depth.
D) Any area marked with blue paint or flags.
