Rainshadow Disc Golf Park

What: 18-hole disc golf park

Where: 1395 Thompson Road, Blyn

Directions: From downtown Sequim, take U.S. Highway 101 east. Turn left on Olyd Blyn Highway. Turn left on Thompson Road.

On the web: www.clallam.net/Parks/rainshadowgolf.html

You could call this work, right?

The Gazette newsroom trio — reporters Matthew Nash and Erin Hawkins and editor Mike Dashiell — joined a small crowd of community members and dignitaries for the opening of the Rainshadow Disc Golf Park off Thompson Road in Blyn last week.

For nine sunny holes we did our best not to damage too many trees with our tosses and make it look like we were pretty good at this sport.

Erin: While I haven’t stepped onto a disc golf course since my college days, the new Rain-shadow Disc Golf Park near Blyn was a nice refresher to the fun-filled game.

The first hole really sets the scene for how gorgeous the course is: a long grassy fairway that leads to a horizon line of trees and the Olympic Mountains.

Matt: As we walked through the course and talked to other seasoned players, the consensus seemed people liked it but they’ll need a few rounds to make adjustments.

Yes, some of the holes were difficult, and yes, we all threw our discs into the thick woods, and in my case, the blackberry bushes a few times, but that’s part of the experience.

Mike: Throwing a disc golf disc was unlike any Frisbee I’ve ever tossed. It felt like a lead weight in my hand. It took about three holes to feel like I knew what would happen once I released the disc. Then, it was simply hoping no one got hit and that I would wind up with the two discs I brought to the park.

I was probably a little sun-drunk, but I had a blast trying my wobbly hand at a brand new sport.

Matt: For newcomers like our cohort, it may be best to bring more than one disc. Most players on opening day had bags full of discs, which they know how to use for different scenarios.

But if you’re just looking for a few hours to kill as an outing, I’d learn the basics about a few discs, i.e. this one goes far and straight, and this one is good for short shots to the basket.

Disc golf definitely isn’t Ultimate Frisbee. The discs feel and throw completely different from your casual backyard disc but disc golf is a sport for anybody willing to give it a try.

Erin: Some of the holes were easier than others, with one uphill fairway in the beginning that gave us all quite a laugh as we hiked up the hill with gravity working against each toss.

The course is a great way to get out and about and enjoy some exercise even if you are not a serious player — such as myself — and with some good friends or family it’s another way to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

With each toss my throws seemed to get better, although some of the holes are pretty challenging with several narrow fairways that force you to either play it safe with short tosses — and a worse score — or go big with long, bold tosses that could end up with you fishing through bushes and trees along the fairways to find your discs.

Mike: I’d seen my share of disc golf parks over the years, but most of them looked pretty flat and the challenge seemed to be all about distance. Rainshadow throws in plenty of twists and turns, with everything from trees dead set before a hole, a severe uphill challenge (hole No. 6) and imposing drop-offs (No. 7) that will surely be the end of the line for many a player’s disc.

I’m looking forward to trying out holes 10-18 on my next-go-around.

Matt: We saw people of all ages playing and people at the opening ceremony said they travel the nation for new course openings.

Luckily for the Sequim area, it now hosts two courses with Blyn’s Rainshadow Disc Golf Park and Calvary Chapel Sequim, 91 S. Boyce Road. The church’s course is open to the public and plays much differently than Blyn. It may be a better first-timer course with a relatively level playing field surrounding the church, but I wouldn’t be deterred to try Rainshadow Disc Golf Park first either.

Mike: I hear it all the time: “Young people have nothing to do in this town.” Well, it’s not the final answer but it does give folks who have a bit of time and a few bucks for a disc or two — and transportation, of course — something to do.

Erin: For a first-timer with maybe a game or two of previous disc golf experience, the first half of the course I played with my fellow Gazette staffers was a lot of fun.

All in all, it took us an hour and 30 minutes to finish half of the course or nine holes. If you are out on the course on a sunny day like we were, I suggest wearing sunscreen, a hat and bring a water bottle or two especially if you play the full 18 holes.