McG League Rules of Play

[bettercounsel]

Psychologists indicate that positive reinforcement is better than negative reinforcement when it comes to learning. HFDS’ most important league rule is "have fun or go home." HFDS leagues promote fun and create an atmosphere of fair competition within which learning occurs. By way of analogy, if a PDGA sanctioned event or tournament is the deep end of the competition pool, the HFDS league system is the shallow end of the competition pool, to allow people to get their feet wet and swim around without drowning or feeling emotionally flooded.

Officially, HFDS follows the 'spirit of the PDGA' rules. Any player may call any PDGA rule penalty during any league, but he might not get a second from others on his card. Also, if he or she does become a ‘league rule nazi', they will find that many people will not want to play on their card anymore. If a group of players on a card want to play 100% by the book, then they can operate their card that way. In league, the League Director can assign the players to the cards, but usually the players pick their fellow card members. If at the Mozola League, someone told me that they did not want to play on particular person's card because they considered that person a 'rule nazi', as the league director, I would seek to accommodate that request. Usually the league director will end up playing on the card with the people that no one else wants to play with, for whatever reason.

Being critical can send an unintended negative message, which is why constructive criticism is so important. An article on management that I read had some maxims like "criticize the behavior, not the person", or "say something nice about some one before you criticize them" so they do not think you are just being mean. "Talk in terms of what 'we' can do to resolve a problem" to promote teamwork. "Say something nice to someone after you have criticized them" so that again they are left with a positive feeling about your wanting to help them rather than their thinking that you were just being mean to them because you do not like them.

Thus, when it comes to teaching the rules to newer players or to people that do not know the rules, a gentle supportive approach works best. The way the leagues operate is to have fun, and when you are a newer player learning the game and becoming familiar with the rules it can be discouraging to have each and every rule infraction not only pointed out to you without exception but to have it negatively effect your score.

My Personal Experience
When I first joined an HFDS league as a purely casual and recreational player that wanted to improve his game, I did not know anyone other than the friend that joined with me. I knew little of the rules of the PDGA, and league helped me learn, which led to playing in some PDGA sanctioned tournaments, which I enjoyed.

Mr. Ed., Conrad and Larry have all been excellent League Directors by being gentle teachers for me, helping me become a better player. As a league director, I now try to follow their examples.

Waiving minor rule infractions sends a message to a player that "because we like you, we will not call this penalty on you", and thus, everyone in league receives this 'meta-message' of being liked. Everyone wants to feel liked and accepted by the group.

Even now as a PDGA tour official and an HFDS league director, I am aware of the uncertainty of some of the PDGA rules. I know how I will call certain specific rules, but I am not 100% certain that all my calls would survive an appeal. If when I started playing HFDS leagues, I had experienced rule tyranny, I probably would not have continued to play HFDS league. Alternatively, if I had stayed under such rule tyranny, I would probably have become one of the rule tyrants.

Freedom is always favored over tyranny, except by those who are afraid. The freedom message is powerful for many reasons.

Foot Faults and Falling Putts
These calls are not usually called unless there is a repeated intentional violation of these rules after attempts to guide the player has failed. Some people do not learn without punishment.

Practice Throws
The reason practice throws are not called during HFDS leagues is for two reasons: (1) the purpose of league is primarily to have fun and secondarily to improve your game and (2) avoiding the 'no-fun-having-zone'. If you did not throw a disc on a hole the way you wanted and you feel that if you had a 2nd throw just for practice and just to help learn so that it does not contribute to your score or create a real competitive advantage, or a more experienced player is taking a moment to give you a quick lesson it improves your skill. Also, if one wants to make a practice throw to the next tee-box while leaving the green, this is within the "fun-having-zone" without creating a real competitive advantage.

Gimme Putts
This is left to the discretion of the card as to what is a gimme putt, and the purpose of a gimme putt is to increase the speed of play.

Marking the Lie
Unless there is a flagrant violation of the lie rule, this is not ordinarily called. If a player mis-marks their lie, ordinarily, it is after the shot that a more experienced player may discuss the proper PGDA rule procedure for marking the lie. If a Player does not mark his lie and throws the disc he just threw this infraction is usually not mentioned. If the lie has been mis-marked the other players should gently instruct on the rule, without any formal warning or penalty.

O.B., Mandos, Etc.
These more specific rules that actually have a significant impact on play are enforced. Competition should be fair. The idea is that some of the more minor infractions that had little impact on a player's shot or did not create a real competitive advantage for a player are not enforced as strictly.

League Directors
League directors have very wide discretion in their authority in how they run their league for many good reasons. If players in a league do not like how the league is being run they can speak up to their director to advocate for changes. In addition, a player can come to an HFDS meeting if the issue is important enough for the player, and the HFDS board of directors will listen. Ultimately, the players can vote with their feet. The league director sets the 'corporate culture' of that league. If people liked a 100% by the book PDGA rule enforced league, they would likely promote that to the league director, and we would have leagues like that. However, it seems to me the purpose of HFDS leagues is to have something in between a casual round of disc golf and a PDGA sanctioned event, which is why the HFDS leagues are not run 100% by the PDGA rules.

[scoot_er]

You gotta follow the rules...........

It may be more lax in league but I have never thrown a practice shot or anything and wouldn't expect anyone else to.

[LOU18132]

I thought leagues were for most of the newbies to learn to play by the rules so they could advance to tournament play smoothly. You don't have to be a tyrant, but practice throws are out because you are playing for something. Heck foot faults are very seldom called on any shot except a putt. Most long second shots, if you watch, the player foot faults, they are almost never called. League play needs to be as close to tournament as possible to help the newer players learn and to keep the more experienced players on their game. All can still, have fun and learn, or go home. We do know who the rules Nazis are or were.

[Suemac]

Would have to agree with Lou on this one. Nothing worse than a golfer with bad sense of the rules.

Why learn bad habits? And I guess everyone should just record an ace on every hole as we don't want any losers, right?

Sure seems like today's PC norm dictates that everyone is a winner, rules don't apply..............and that's why TX leads the pack in high school drop out rates. And folks don't understand that "illegal" means illegal!

This is just a game, new players at the Texas Hold'm table, do they get "special" consideration or do the rules apply to everyone?

[tarazarr]

I understand his intent.. new players need coached through the most basic rules as they don't bother to learn the official rules from the start.

Being a rule nazi, doesn't help the game grow with new players, it just gives them a bad taste in their mouth towards organized play.

players new to organized play need to be put on a card with a mentor who can coach without demeaning them.

The idea is to get them excited about organized play..get them wanting to return week after week.. not beat them into submission with your experience level, and know it all attitude..

[LOU18132]

Originally Posted by tarazarr

not beat them into submission with your experience level, and know it all attitude..

Where the hell did that come from?

[tarazarr]

LOL that what a round on the same card with a rule Nazi feels like when your brand new... It was a general statement not at anyone in particular...

[Suemac]

You played with Larry?

[tarazarr]

actually I don't think Larry has ever qouted a single rule to me during a round.... When I first started playing though, I remember learning about such things as falling putts and perfect marking of a lie and keeping within the regulatory distance from that lie during the throw during both casual and tournament rounds.
Some people come off harsher than others when "explaining" the rule to you...

Personally I won't call an infraction the first time I see it.... like Lou said most all of us foot fault on a second drive unintentionally... but I did have a friend who was foot faulting by a long ways and gaining a definate advantage from it, that I had to gently explain the rule to.

If it's a deal where you can see they are trying to land the plant foot right behind the marker on a second drive, I'm not going to say anything.. but when they start landing the plant foot 2 1/2 feet to the left to get around the shrub, creating an advantage.... I'll say something after 2 or 3 of those shots...

I agree with scooter...you gotta play by the rules... and new players will generally learn the rules over time, it IS important how you go about coaching them early on though... Because lets face it, even experienced players are put off by being on the card with a rules nazi.. they take the fun completely out of the game for everyone on the card.

[tarazarr]

Originally Posted by LOU18132

Where the hell did that come from?

oops...Lou that wasn't directed at you man. it really wasn't directed at anyone in particular... sorry for the appearance that it might have been...