Teeing Off - Raised vs. flush tee boxes

[Drew Smith]

802.01 Teeing Off
A. ... When the disc is released, ... all supporting points must be in contact only with the surface of the teeing area. Supporting point contact outside the teeing area is allowed if it comes before or after, and not at, the moment the disc is released.

If you are teeing off from a raised tee box, and your foot extends off the front edge of the tee box, is that considered a stance violation? Based on the rules, there is no supporting point in contact outside the tee box, so I would say it is not a violation.

However, if the tee box is flush with the ground, then your foot would touch the ground outside of the tee box, and that would be a stance violation.

[Brad Harris]

I would say it's not a violation.

Consider a different, and very unrealistic case. If you wanted to tee off while standing on one leg with the other hanging in the air off the front of the box, that would be legal as long as you don't put that front foot down.

To combat this, an elevated tee box can use a distinct toe line that is short of the front of the platform. Then if you step over the line, you are in contact with the playing surface outside the tee area.

In reality, on a tee shot, a toe over the line is not going to have an effect on the outcome of a shot anyway.

[Jeff Prendergast]

In reality, on a tee shot, a toe over the line is not going to have an effect on the outcome of a shot anyway.

But it would be a violation.

[Drew Smith]

Jeff - how would that be a violation based on the following?

When the disc is released, the player must have at least one supporting point in contact with the surface of the teeing area, and all supporting points must be in contact only with the surface of the teeing area

If the plant foot is 1/2 on the tee and 1/2 hanging off the front edge, then:
1) one supporting point in contact with the surface of the teeing area - CHECK!
2) all supporting points must be in contact only with the surface of the teeing area - CHECK!

And this ...

Any supporting point contact outside the teeing area at the time of release constitutes a stance violation

The front of the plant foot is in the air - there is not contact.

[Brad Harris]

In reality, on a tee shot, a toe over the line is not going to have an effect on the outcome of a shot anyway.

But it would be a violation.

Only if the toe over the line is in contact with the playing surface.

[Josh Connell]

808. Rules Q & A

QA 42: Foot Hanging Over Edge of Tee
Q: I threw my drive off a raised concrete tee pad. When I let go, the front of my foot was hanging off the front edge of the pad. Was that a stance violation?
A: No. The rule states that all supporting points must be within the teeing area at the time of release. "Supporting point" refers to any point that is in contact with the playing surface (in this case the tee pad), rather than to a complete body part such as a foot. The part of the foot that is hanging off the end is not a supporting point because it is not in contact with the playing surface, so no violation has occurred. Applicable Rules: 802.01 Teeing Off; 800.02 Definitions ("Supporting Point").

[Drew Smith]

Oh - thanks. I didn't look there.

[Chuck Kennedy]

I think this rule will be troublesome down the road with more concrete pads having an extension in front of the teeing area to reduce erosion. We'll almost need an electronic eye like in bowling to buzz when a player's toe has crossed the line. If Dodge wanted to stir up trouble, imagine if the TD called the wooden frame around the outside of a rubber mat "not the teeing surface"?

[Sean Healy]

If Dodge wanted to stir up trouble, imagine if the TD called the wooden frame around the outside of a rubber mat "not the teeing surface"?

I've seen TDs do this multiple times through the years

[Dave Jackson]

I think this rule will be troublesome down the road with more concrete pads having an extension in front of the teeing area to reduce erosion. We'll almost need an electronic eye like in bowling to buzz when a player's toe has crossed the line. If Dodge wanted to stir up trouble, imagine if the TD called the wooden frame around the outside of a rubber mat "not the teeing surface"?

Good thing Steve Dodge is not the type to "stir up trouble".


Players tee off from the tee, if their foot is 6" off the rubber mat, it's no big deal until someone makes it a big deal.
This ruling falls under the best rule in all of disc golf: "don't give yourself an unfair advantage." Tom dropped that one on me and it makes perfect sense.

We need handicaps to help legitimize the game even more than "electronic eyes like in bowling to buzzz when a player's toe has crossed the line."

I had to say it Chuck, sorry

[Dave Jackson]

Hey, rules are rules and they were meant to be.....

I will let someone else finish that one