NATCHEZ — Work to add nine extra baskets to the Natchez State Park disc golf course is on hold for the time being.

In February, the Natchez Disc Golf Club hosted a tournament at the state park in order to raise money to purchase those baskets. The park currently only has nine baskets, and the goal was to bring that total up to 18 in order for Natchez to be able to host professional tournaments.

Ryan Porter, co-chairman of the Natchez Disc Golf Club, said although he was able to buy the baskets, getting them installed at the park has been somewhat of a hassle.

“They’re not out there yet. We do have some holes cut, meaning we have to use some of the less desirable areas of the park and (create) fairways,” Porter said.

“Roddy Powell, the park ranger there, has been amazing in getting the grass cut and allowing us to try and accomplish what we need to. Getting everyone out there at the same time is hard, though.”

Currently, the nine baskets are being stored away, and Porter said they needed to go somewhere. In his time teaching children about the sport at Adams County Christian School as an instructor for the Educational Disc Golf Experience program, Porter said he’s had other ideas form about how to use the baskets.

“From what the kids there were telling me, it’s hard to convince the parents to get them out to the state park,” Porter said.

“There’s the question of what the parents do once they get them there. They can’t just drop them off and go run errands. Also, the way the course is set up, it plays better for the more advanced players.”

With that in mind, Porter said he wants to look into the possibility of getting the baskets installed at Duncan Park.

“Preferably, I’d like to push for a pitch-and-putt, nine-hole course there. If that happened, the parents could drop the kids off at 10 a.m., go run errands and come back. I haven’t spoken to them yet, but if we did that, it would also be more beginner friendly, though experienced players could still enjoy it,” he said.

Porter is also looking for other ways to promote the sport in town. He plans to schedule a day camp for children using the baskets he owns as an EDGE instructor. He’s also created DISCovery Natchez, a disc golf catering service.

“I basically set up a course for people to play on. It’s another way to promote the sport by focusing on events, whether it be for adults, senior citizens, Special Olympics, birthday parties or family reunions,” he said.

For more information on DISCovery Natchez, Porter can be reached at RPorter.TR@gmail.com, or by phone at 303-482-6174.