Kristin Lätt’s Foot Fault at Champions Cup Raises Concerns About Rule Enforcement

During the 2025 PDGA Champions Cup, Estonian player Kristin Lätt was assessed a foot fault by a marshal—an unusual situation not for the call itself, but for how it was made. The penalty was issued without any input or confirmation from fellow cardmates, making it the first such case in Lätt’s professional career. The incident occurred just as she was regaining momentum in the round, and although she went on to finish second overall, two strokes behind Missy Gannon, the moment cast a shadow over an otherwise strong performance.

Image: Kristin Lätt

The ruling referred to PDGA Rule 802.07, which regulates a player's stance during a throw. According to the rule, a player must have at least one supporting point (usually the foot) in contact with the playing surface behind the marker disc at the time the disc is released. To correctly enforce this rule, the observer must be able to see both the position of the foot and the moment of disc release. In practice, this often requires clear visibility of both elements simultaneously, which is difficult even for trained officials.

In a statement after the tournament, Kristin Lätt expressed concern over how the foot fault was called. “The situation was strange,” she said, “and what bothered me most was how the rule was applied.” She explained that she had asked the marshal whether he was certain the disc was still in her hand when her foot moved—a critical detail in determining a stance violation. According to Lätt, the marshal responded that he couldn’t focus on two things at once and couldn’t see, but that he was still 100% comfortable giving the penalty stroke.

Lätt emphasized that she respects the role of officials and their efforts to ensure fair play, but questioned the consistency of enforcement. “If you apply rules like this, they should be applied equally to everyone, on every card, at all times," she said.

Despite the frustration, Lätt acknowledged that she allowed the incident to distract her. “I know I wasn’t the best player out there this week,” she admitted. “I made a lot of mistakes on the putting green and with some approach shots.” Still, she sees the experience as motivation to refocus and improve. “I’ll use this as fuel to sharpen my game,” she said, adding that she plans to work on her run-ups and concentrate on what she can control in future rounds.