Minis, Towels, and Accessories
A bag full of discs still leaves you half-dressed for a real round. You need a way to mark a lie, something to wipe wet plastic, and a short list of small tools that keep you legal and polite on the course. This page is literacy for recreational and league players packing a bag—not a shopping ranking, not a durability scorecard, and not an affiliate pitch.
Related: How to Mark Your Lie · Disc Golf Bags and Carts · Beginner Disc Golf Bag · Disc Golf Etiquette and Safety · Glow and Night Round Basics.
Why a mini matters
After the tee, every throw comes from a lie. When your thrown disc is in-bounds on the playing surface, you may leave it as the marker—or place a mini marker disc touching the front of that disc on the line of play, then pick up the thrown disc (802.06).
A mini is not optional forever. If the thrown disc is not on the in-bounds playing surface, or the lie must be moved by rule, you mark with a mini under the applicable rule. Flipping the thrown disc over to stand behind it is a classic casual habit and a marking violation in sanctioned play—carry a mini so you never need that shortcut. Full stance and marking detail lives on How to Mark Your Lie; PDGA’s Rules School Episode 3 is a solid teaching companion.
What makes a legal marker disc
Per 802.06.B, a mini marker disc is a small disc not used in play that complies with PDGA Technical Standards for mini marker discs.
The Technical Standards state that mini markers must be:
- Circular
- 7 cm to 15 cm in diameter
- No more than 3 cm in height
- Allowed in materials such as plastic, metal, or wood
(PDGA Technical Standards guidelines, section II.A.5)
Two more equipment notes from 813.01:
| Rule | Plain English |
|---|---|
| 813.01.H | Discs used in play must be identifiably marked—except mini marker discs. Name/number your throwing discs; the mini itself is exempt from that marking requirement. |
| Illegal disc penalty | Throwing an illegal disc during play is two penalty throws (813.01.G). Minis are markers, not throws—keep that distinction clean. |
Manufacturer example (claims only, not a ranking): Innova sells mini marker discs and describes them as a must for tournament play—confirm current product text on the page you buy from.
Towels: grip, rain, and etiquette
A towel is the most boring upgrade that pays for itself every wet Midwest morning. Wipe the flight plate, dry your hands, and keep mud out of the bag pocket that holds your putter.
Under 813.02.D, a towel or pad may sit under a supporting point if it is not greater than one centimeter thick when compressed. PDGA Q&A confirms you may place a towel or small pad on the lie (including a drop zone or tee) for knee protection when the ground is hard or rocky (QA-EQU-5).
Etiquette that keeps you welcome in a group:
- Wipe your discs with your towel—do not casually borrow someone else’s without asking.
- Stay out of the thrower’s space while they address the lie; a towel flapping near the run-up is the same courtesy foul as a chatty bag zipper.
- Clip or stow the towel so it does not drag through soft fairways or catch on brush.
Manufacturer example (claims only): Innova’s Tour Towel product page lists size and fabric claims (e.g. waffle-weave polyester, center loop)—read the live page for current specs.
Other accessories the rules actually name
813.02 Illegal Device is the hub for “what else can I carry?”
| Item | Official status (summary) | Cite |
|---|---|---|
| Gloves, tape, bandages, gauze | Allowed as devices that reduce or control abrasion | 813.02.C; QA-EQU-4 |
| Talc, chalk, dust, dirt | Allowed as items applied to the skin to improve grip | 813.02.C |
| Knee / ankle braces | Allowed medical items | 813.02.C |
| Rangefinders | Allowed; you must still throw within the Excessive Time rule | QA-EQU-1 |
| Devices that directly assist a throw | Not allowed | 813.02.A |
| Objects placed as directional aids | Not allowed | 813.02.B |
| Questioned device | Illegal unless the Tournament Director later approves it | 813.02.E |
| Illegal-device penalty | Two penalty throws if observed using one during a round | 813.02.F |
Umbrellas: 813.02 does not name umbrellas as a special allowed category. Rain cover between throws is ordinary park sense; using any object to directly assist a throw (for example as balance support) collides with 813.02.A. When unsure at an event, ask the TD.
Bags, foldable chairs, push carts: Competition Manual 3.05 covers approved carrying devices. Literacy for bag-vs-cart choices lives on Disc Golf Bags and Carts—this page does not re-teach that chapter.
Lights / glow add-ons: Daytime tape-on lights are generally illegal modifications under 813.01; night or snow play announced by the TD opens the find-the-disc exception. Details: Glow and Night Round Basics.
Water, trash, park respect: Carry water. Pack out what you pack in. That is not a PDGA equipment rule—it is how you keep parks open for the next card (Know the Code).
What this page will not invent
- “Best mini” brand rankings or durability scores
- Affiliate buy links or partner CTAs (slots stay empty until 30Co accounts are green-lit)
- Claims that a specific umbrella, stool, or rangefinder model is tournament-required
- Fake capacity, weight, or “pro bag” inventories
Shop local when you can; try a friend’s mini and towel for a round before you buy anything loud.
Packing checklist (generic)
- Legal mini marker (and a spare if you lose one in tall grass)
- Towel (clip or pocket so it stays yours)
- Optional: chalk/rosin or glove if you use grip aids allowed by 813.02.C
- Water bottle; trash pocket or bag for wrappers
- Phone / scorecard method you already trust
- Rain layer or umbrella for weather—not as a throwing brace
- Night round only: glow setup per TD / glow guide
Next: How to Mark Your Lie · Disc Golf Bags and Carts · Rain and Wind Disc Golf · Beginner Disc Golf Bag
Sources
- PDGA Official Rules 802.06 Marking the Lie — thrown disc vs mini; marking violations
- PDGA Official Rules 813.01 Illegal Disc — mini exemption from identifiable marking (H); illegal-disc penalties
- PDGA Official Rules 813.02 Illegal Device — gloves, chalk, towel/pad thickness, no throw-assist devices, penalties
- PDGA Technical Standards guidelines — mini marker size/shape/materials (II.A.5)
- PDGA Rules Q&A (Equipment) — QA-EQU-1 rangefinders; QA-EQU-4 gloves; QA-EQU-5 towel/pad on the lie
- PDGA Rules School Episode 3: Marking Your Lie — teaching companion on marking
- PDGA Competition Manual 3.05 — bags, foldable chairs, push carts (cross-link only)
- PDGA Know the Code — course and park respect
- Innova Mini Markers product category — manufacturer claims only
- Innova Tour Towel product page — manufacturer size/fabric claims only
- PDGA Official Rules hub — authoritative current text