Official Rules of Ultimate
Australia uses the WFDF Rules, the same as used at all World Championships. Individual events may have local variants.
Rules Accreditation: Players can complete an online Rules Accreditation Quiz which may be required to compete at certain competitions.
Variations on Ultimate
There are a number of games based on ultimate for which some simple rules have been written:
Continuation
Continuation is also known as Make it, take it, since the team that scores the goal gets to keep the disc. Basically the rules are the same as normal ultimate, except when one of the teams scores. The team that scores has the option of putting the disc into play from where the goal was caught, or bringing the disc up to the nearest point on the goal line and putting it into play from there. When one team scores, it is immediately trying to score into the opposite endzone to the previous point.
10 Pulls
This is a drill attributed to Death or Glory, US National Champions 1994-1996. The idea is again to teach the value of possession. One team is on defence and the other on offence. The defence pulls to the offence, and the offence has to try to score without turning the disc over. If they turn it over, the defence has the same opportunity. If the defence turns it over as well, that is the end of the point. The teams change ends, and the defence starts again by pulling to the offence. After 10 pulls (hence the name) the offence becomes the defence and vice versa, and you play for another 10 pulls.
If the offence is perfect, then the score will be 10-0. Obviously the offence has the advantage, since they always get the disc first. A score of 4-2 indicates a 40% scoring completion for the offence, and a 33% scoring completion for the defence (33% = 2 completions in 6 opportunities with the disc).
Goaltimate
Goaltimate is different to ultimate in that scoring involves passing the disc through a goal to a teammate. The field dimensions are different too. There are no endzones, since passing the disc through the goal takes the place of passing it over a line. This version can be useful if the field you wish to use has soccer or football goalposts where you would like to place the endzones.
Indoor
Indoor ultimate is good for countries that have a harsh winter climate, so you can play ultimate all year round. Only Canberra is compelled to play Indoor Ultimate during winter, but other ultimate communities choose to play it too.
Indoor ultimate has:
- A smaller field – usually an indoor netball or basketball court
- Scoring is into the netball semicircle or a rectangular endzone
- 5 players a side
- Stall count of 7
The small size of the court and the limited opportunities to cut, along with the lack of wind mean that throws differ a lot. Hammers, blades and other less-used throws are common.
Indoor ultimate can also be played continuous: just combine the rules of Indoor and Continuation.
Beach
Beach ultimate is good for countries with lots of fine, sandy beaches and beautiful summer weather. Fortunately Australia is one of those countries. Beach ultimate has:
- Smaller field – about half to two-thirds normal size
- 5 players a side
- Stall count of 7
Running on sand is much more tiring than running on grass, so games are usually to 7, with a time cap of 30 minutes.
The Beach Ultimate Lovers Association has the official rules of beach ultimate.