Scottish comedian Billy Connolly once said, “In Scotland, there is no such thing as bad weather — only the wrong clothes.” And that’s the same attitude local disc golfers take at Terrace Creek Park.

One of the players who doesn’t mind the biting cold air or the crunching snow is Mountlake Terrace resident Forrest Reda, a local realtor who was accompanied by his pack of miniature dachshunds. During a game earlier this week, both he and his four-legged caddies sported  cold- and water-resistant clothes.

Besides Reda, six other players were in the process of their rounds or practicing their throwing techniques on the 18-hole course in Mountlake Terrace. The game is played by throwing a disc into a “hole,” a metal basket with chains, with the goal of landing it inside with as few throws as possible.

“People start showing up around 4-5 [p.m.] to get a round after work,” Reda said.

The first bucket is along 48th Avenue West, across from the field next to the park’s iconic swing set, which gives it the local nickname Candy Cane Park. Since the starting point and the first bucket, a par 3, is along the road, the players wait for the street to be clear of cars and the sidewalk clear of pedestrians.

“The first rule of the Disc Golf Code is to play smart,” Reda said, “Be aware of your surroundings.”

A bad throw could send a disc into a car windshield or hit someone walking down the street, which disc golfers want to avoid at all costs. Reda said the game isn’t just about hitting your target with the fewest throws; it’s about respect for the course and others.

Part of disc golf’s popularity is its accessibility. Most courses are in public parks, like Terrace Creek Park, and are free to use. The players provide the discs, a towel to clean them off and shoes that can withstand walking on a trail, such as running shoes or hiking boots.

Professional disc golfer Jackson Messner said the sport started in public parks, and “there is a big heritage of free-to-play and no-tee-time reservation courses in parks.”

Reda said a starter kit of discs could cost as little as $15, depending on the brand, shape and material. A set should include a driver, mid-range and putter disc. However, just as golf will have different clubs of the same function — different kinds of drivers, for example— there are various kinds of driver discs designed to favor curving left or right.

“There are shops dedicated to disc golf gear, and you can also find discs at places like Big 5,” Reda said.

Messner recommends starting with low-cost discs, “but don’t buy the strange brands from sports or department stores as these discs fly poorly and inconsistently.” He said that the inconsistency could discourage beginners and suggests starter sets made by Innova, Discraft, MVP, Discmania, Dynamic Discs, Latitude 64 or Prodigy,

However, like a golfer wanting to try new clubs, Messner said that the more a person gets into the sport, the more they will want to try new discs.

“It does take trial and error, so you just have to be careful to remember ‘it’s not the arrow, it’s the archer,’” Messner said. “Buying new discs won’t necessarily help your game and can slow the learning process down.”

Messner warned that the costs increase if the player gets serious, which can lead to buying more discs and disc golf-specific bags and shoes, or entering tournaments that charge entry fees. But regardless of the equipment used, the most important aspect is “The Disc Golfer’s Code,” Messner said.

Terrace Creek Park is located at 23200 48th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace. For more information about the course, contact Seattle Disc Golf at 425-670-2548.