Peter Stein/News-Sun

Holly May is in one of the biggest months of her life.

By August’s end she will be competing in the 2022 Professional Disc Golf Association World Championships in Emporia, Kansas. She is spending this month preparing, training to compete in that event, which will – as the tournament’s title indicates – bring together most of the world’s best at the sport.

Only five and a half years into her disc golf career, the former University of the Southwest softball scholarship player is getting to mix it up with elite disc throwers.

And she is of two minds about doing so.

“I’m really nervous,” May said. “It’s my first big tournament, biggest field ever. But I really am excited. It’s in Emporia, Kansas, which is the Super Bowl I would say, or the Omaha (where the college world series is held) of disc golf. Yeah, I’m just really looking forward to it, just for the experience as well.”

That experience will be invaluable for May because not just anyone can play in the worlds.

“It’s an invitational,” she said. “You have to be at a certain rating to get that invite.”

According to May, disc golfers who compete regularly in tournaments have a PDGA number, getting a rating each time they play a round, and the ratings build up round after round, tournament after tournament.

May found out about her invite in early spring. The world championships will begin August 30 and run through September 3, so May is now within a month from the most important opportunity of her disc golf career so far.

“I’m extremely excited for her,” said May’s husband Josh, himself an avid disc golfer and tournament competitor. “I’ve always wanted to see what she could do against the top girls in the world, and now she’s getting her opportunity. I’m super proud of her.”

Holly May has played at some tough courses, including Ruidoso’s Moon Mountain Disc Golf Course. “It’s mountain golf,” she said, “and so it’s a whole other experience over there because it’s like you’re hiking. It puts you in your place about how good a shape you’re in.”

Holly May has also tackled Big Mack Memorial Disc Park in Lubbock, the longest disc golf course in Texas. “It’s a pretty large park where they have two courses,” she said, “and then another one just across the street from there.”

The Ruidoso…