How do you score in disc golf?

Each throw counts as one stroke. The goal is to complete each hole in the fewest throws possible. After all holes, total your strokes — lowest score wins. A typical 18-hole par is between 54 and 63.

What equipment do I need to start playing disc golf?

You only need one disc to start. A midrange disc (like a Buzzz or Mako3) is the most versatile choice for beginners. Most courses are free to play, so your total startup cost is just $8–$15 for a single disc.

Where can I play disc golf?

There are over 12,000 disc golf courses in the United States alone, and most are free public courses in parks. Use our course finder to locate courses near you.

Is disc golf hard to learn?

Not at all. Most people can play a basic round after 10 minutes of explanation. The throwing motion is intuitive, and beginner-friendly courses have open fairways that forgive imperfect throws.

How to Play Disc Golf: The Complete Beginner's Guide

Disc golf is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and for good reason — it’s free, welcoming, and a genuinely great way to spend a afternoon outdoors. Here’s everything you need to know to play your first round.

The Basic Rules

The concept is simple: throw a disc from a tee pad toward a metal basket, and keep throwing until the disc lands in the basket. Each throw counts as one stroke. Complete the hole in the fewest strokes possible. For the full official rulebook, see our disc golf rules explained guide.

Tee order: The player with the lowest score on the previous hole tees off first. On hole 1, it’s typically a coin flip or random draw.

Fairway play: After your tee shot, throw from behind where your previous disc landed. You must maintain a natural stance — one foot behind your lie (the mark where your disc landed).

Out of bounds: Some holes have OB lines (paths, roads, water). An OB throw adds one penalty stroke, and you throw again from the previous lie or a designated drop zone.

Scoring

Par is the expected number of strokes for the hole (usually 3 for most holes)
Birdie = one under par (scored!)
Bogey = one over par (no big deal)
Ace = hole-in-one (the holy grail)

After all 18 holes, total your strokes. Lowest score wins. (New to keeping score? Our disc golf scoring guide breaks down every term and tournament format.)

Your First Disc

You don’t need a bag full of discs. Start with one midrange disc — it handles both short and medium distances well and is the most forgiving for new players. (Our guide to choosing your first disc walks through exactly which one to buy.) Popular beginner choices:

Innova Mako3 — straight and predictable
Discraft Buzzz — the most popular midrange in the sport
Dynamic Discs truth — reliable with a gentle fade

Course Etiquette

Let faster groups play through — if someone behind you is waiting, wave them ahead
Don’t distract throwers — stay quiet and still when someone is throwing
Mark your lie — place a mini marker disc in front of your thrown disc before picking it up
Fill your divots — if you tear up turf on a tee pad, kick it back in place
Pack it out — leave no trace

Finding Your First Course

Use our disc golf course finder to discover free courses near you. Start with a course tagged “Beginner-friendly” — these have open fairways, shorter distances, and forgiving layouts. Once you’re comfortable, try a wooded course for a different challenge.

Find a course near you

Ready to play? Here are a few city guides to get you started — each lists the beginner-friendly courses in the area:

Disc golf in Austin, TX — Zilker Park is the classic first round
Disc golf in Denver, CO — wide-open mountain-city courses
Disc golf in Portland, OR — wooded, forgiving, and free

Once you’ve played a few rounds, come back and read our disc golf scoring guide to start tracking your scores like a pro.