A discharge guard assembly (25) for a mower (10) includes a cutter housing (18) having an opening for discharging cuttings. A guard (26) is hingedly attached to the housing so that the guard can move between a closed position and an open position. A latch (46) contacts a stop on the guard (26) to hold the guard in the closed position to allow the mower to operate in a mulching configuration. The latch (46) is movable to an unlatched position in which the guard is free to rotate to the open position to allow cuttings to be discharged through the opening in the housing.
