Do You Actually Need a Mini Marker in Disc Golf?
For casual rounds, a mini isn't essential if your group agrees to relaxed marking rules. If you plan to play tournaments, carrying one and learning to use it is good practice.
A mini marker is a small disc you set down to mark your lie. It lets you pick up your thrown disc without losing the spot for your next throw. That's useful when you approach with your putter and want to putt with the same disc.
Under PDGA rules, whether you need to use one depends on where your disc ended up:
- Your disc is resting on the in-bounds playing surface:its position marks your lie. A mini is optional.
- Your disc isn't on the in-bounds playing surface, or a rule moves your lie:you need a compliant mini marker.
You won't need to use it after every throw, but carrying one prepares you for situations where tournament rules require it.
What a Mini Marker Is
A mini marker, or “mini,” is a small disc that marks your lie. You don't throw it during the round.
To count as a mini marker under the PDGA Technical Standards, it has to be:
- Circular
- 7 to 15 centimetres across
- No more than 3 centimetres tall
It can be made from materials such as plastic, metal, or wood. A regular golf disc is too big to qualify as a mini marker.
Casual groups can agree to use a spare disc, but that doesn't make it a legal substitute in PDGA-sanctioned play.
You Don't Always Need One
Under PDGA Rule 802.06, when your thrown disc is resting on the in-bounds playing surface, its position marks your lie. You can leave it where it is and throw from behind it.
If you'd rather pick it up, you can mark with a mini instead. Either is legal, including during a tournament.
How to Mark With a Mini
- Walk up to your disc without moving it.
- Place the mini on the playing surface, touching the front of the thrown disc, on the line of play. The line of play is the imaginary line from the centre of the basket through and beyond the centre of the marker.
- Pick up the thrown disc.
- Take your stance behind the mini.
Don't flip the disc forward as a way of marking. Place your mini before lifting the thrown disc.
Practising this during casual rounds helps you learn the procedure before playing an event.
When You Do Need One
Under PDGA rules, you need a mini when:
- Your disc isn't on the in-bounds playing surface.For example, it's out of bounds or stuck up in a tree.
- A rule moves your lie.Taking relief can put your next lie somewhere your thrown disc isn't.
Use a compliant mini to mark the lie according to the applicable rule. Carrying one to a sanctioned event prepares you for those situations, even if you leave the thrown disc in place for other shots.
What a Mini Changes About Your Lie
For an ordinary marked lie, your lie isn't a single point. Under Rule 802.05, it's a rectangle 20 cm wide and 30 cm deep, centred on the line of play and running back from the rear edge of the marker disc. Teeing areas and drop zones have their own provisions.
That's where the difference comes from:
- Leave the thrown disc:your lie starts at the back edge of the disc and runs 30 cm behind it.
- Use a mini: the mini touches the front edge of the thrown disc, so your lie starts there. With a typical golf disc, it includes ground the disc was covering, plus some ground behind it.
The two possible lies overlap. Using a mini moves the front of your lie about one disc-width closer to the basket, which can matter on a putt or a short approach.
Pick the Lie With the Better Footing
Under Rule 802.07, when you release the disc from a marked lie:
- At least one supporting point must be in contact with the lie.
- No supporting point can be closer to the basket than the rear edge of the marker.
- All supporting points must be in bounds.
A supporting point is any part of your body touching the playing surface or another object that provides support.
Before you decide whether to use a mini, compare the usable footing inside each possible lie. Marking with a mini adds ground under the original disc position and removes ground farther behind it from the lie rectangle.
If your disc is resting on a root, rock, or fallen log, leaving it in place can keep better ground farther behind it inside your lie. This matters for the supporting point that must contact the lie. With a mini, another supporting point can still touch that farther ground, provided it meets the stance rules above. The shared area remains part of the lie with either option.
Choosing a Mini
A mini's job is to mark your lie, be easy to see, and meet the rules.
- Pick a colour that stands out on your courses. A mini that blends into grass or leaves is easy to leave behind.
- Check the dimensions.A novelty or custom marker still needs to meet the circular shape, 7 to 15 cm diameter, and maximum 3 cm height requirements.
- Carry a spare. Keep another compliant mini in your bag.
Marking Mistakes in Sanctioned Play
Under Rule 802.06, the violation is throwing from an improperly marked lie. If you notice your mini is in the wrong spot, fix it before you throw.
The first marking violation in a round gets a warning. Each subsequent marking violation in that round costs one penalty throw.
FAQ
Do you need a mini marker for casual disc golf?
If your group agrees to relaxed marking rules, a mini isn't essential. Casual groups can also choose to follow PDGA rules, in which case the same marking requirements apply.
Using a mini during casual rounds is good practice if you plan to enter tournaments.
Do you have to use a mini on every tournament throw?
No. If your thrown disc is resting on the in-bounds playing surface, you can leave it in place to mark your lie. You need a mini when the disc isn't on that surface or when a rule moves your lie.
Can I use another disc from my bag as a marker?
Your casual group can agree to that. In PDGA-sanctioned play, a regular golf disc doesn't qualify as a mini marker because it exceeds the permitted diameter.
What size does a mini marker have to be?
Under the PDGA Technical Standards, it must be circular, 7 to 15 cm in diameter, and no more than 3 cm tall.
What's the penalty for marking my lie wrong?
In PDGA-sanctioned play, throwing from an improperly marked lie is a marking violation. The first one in a round gets a warning. Each subsequent marking violation in that round costs one penalty throw. You can correct your marker before you throw.
Carry a Compliant Mini
You can enjoy relaxed casual rounds without a mini. If tournaments are part of your plans, keep a compliant mini in your bag and practise marking with it before your first event.
Carry a spare, too. You'll have a marker when you need to mark a relocated lie or pick up the disc you want to throw next.
