Patent Pending
Definition: A patent pending is an improvised throwing stance used when a player’s lie is so obstructed that conventional footwork or body positioning becomes impossible. In the classic version of the stance, the player turns partially backward toward the target, reaches awkwardly around obstacles, and throws from a twisted, off-balance posture that often looks uncomfortable, unnatural, or borderline absurd. The term itself originated humorously because early players joked that the bizarre-looking stance appeared so unusual it should be “patent pending.” Over time, the phrase became one of the most beloved pieces of disc golf vocabulary, representing both the creativity and survival instincts demanded by wooded golf.
Why It Matters: Patent-pending shots embody one of the defining realities of disc golf: perfect golf rarely survives contact with trees. When fairways tighten, kicks turn cruel, and normal mechanics disappear, players must improvise. The ability to throw effectively from compromised positions often separates experienced golfers from players whose games collapse the moment ideal form becomes impossible.
Term Observations:
- Patent-pending stances most commonly arise in heavily wooded disc golf where trees, brush, or awkward lies block ordinary throwing motion.
- The shot is often associated with scrambling because players forced into patent-pending positions are usually attempting to recover from earlier mistakes or unfortunate kicks.
- A few players become remarkably skilled at throwing controlled forehands, turnovers, or touch approaches from patent-pending positions, turning desperation into genuine tactical competence.
- The stance frequently creates humorous visual moments because players may appear contorted, folded, kneeling, twisted, or physically trapped by surrounding obstacles.
- Experienced wooded-golf players often develop an instinctive emotional calm in patent-pending situations, recognizing that survival golf—not heroics—is usually the smartest objective.
- Certain lies become legendary among local players because the trees or terrain seem almost specifically designed to force absurd patent-pending escapes.
- The phrase “full patent pending” is commonly used when a player must turn almost completely backward or sideways to create even the smallest throwing lane.
- Patent-pending shots capture part of what makes disc golf emotionally distinct from many traditional sports: the course frequently forces players into moments of improvisation, humility, and creative problem-solving.
- Some of the sport’s most memorable scramble recoveries begin from patent-pending lies where players somehow convert hopeless positioning into miraculous escapes.
