MYRTLE BEACH – Three months after surviving a completely different type of water hazard, Jeff Kolodjay and his golf buddies will finally get to hit the links in the “Golf Capital of the World,” courtesy of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, Legends Resort, PGA TOUR Superstore and members of the Myrtle Beach golf community.
On January 15th, the US Airways flight headed for Charlotte hit a flock of birds, just three minutes after takeoff. The plane lost both engines and was forced to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River. Thanks to the quick thinking of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, all 155 passengers survived but the luggage and golf clubs were lost. Kolodjay and his group were headed to Myrtle Beach for a five-day golf vacation but had to put the visit on hold.
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday president Bill Golden learned of the crash while in an airport and instructed staff members to get in touch with Kolodjay and help them fulfill their visit to the Grand Strand area. Partnering with Legends Resort, PGA TOUR Superstore and members of the Myrtle Beach golf community, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday invited the golfers to come back to Myrtle Beach, whenever they were ready to fly again.
During their five-day visit, April 22 through April 26, the group will enjoy complimentary rounds of golf at three Legends Resort courses, True Blue Plantation, The Heritage Club, TPC of Myrtle Beach and Wild Wing Plantation. A three-bedroom condo was provided by Legends Resort and will serve as home during the visit. PGA TOUR Superstore will give each member of the group a $500 gift card, in addition to custom club-fitting.
The group consists of the Kolodjay family, and friends of the family; Jeff Kolodjay, the unofficial group spokesperson in the numerous national interviews and a resident of Norwalk, Connecticut; his father Rob Kolodjay, who lives in Chicopee, Massachusetts; cousin Jim Stefanik from Chicopee and Jeff’s college golf teammate at Central Connecticut State; Jorge Morgado, Jim’s brother-in-law and also a resident of Chicopee; Rick Delisle, a friend and former coworker of Rob’s in Chicopee; and Dave Carlos, a childhood friend of Jeff’s from Chicopee, and the only member not to have made any of the group’s annual golf trips to the Grand Strand area.
Although a few of the members have traveled by plane since January 15th, many still had reservations about boarding a plane to Myrtle Beach again. After a group meeting to discuss dates and plans, the group decided to travel together and make the 13-hour trip by car.
“On behalf of our group, I’d like to express our most sincere thanks to the Myrtle Beach community, Legends Resort, PGA TOUR Superstore, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, and the many other folks involved in making this return trip possible,” said Kolodjay. “We are extremely grateful for the overall generosity and cannot wait to hit the links in Myrtle Beach! On our last attempt down to the area, we hit a few birdies. This time we hope to make a few!”
“To say that there was an immediate mood change in the airport when the news was broadcast is an understatement,” said Bill Golden, president of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, “When I heard that Kolodjay’s group was headed to Myrtle Beach to play golf, I knew that we needed to do something to help them. The entire Myrtle Beach golf community has stepped forward to welcome our guests back to the Grand Strand area.”
“Fortunately, this is a story with a happy ending, not only for the Kolodjay group, but everyone who was on the US Airways flight,” Larry Woodberry, Legends Resorts’ vice president of operations, said. “Jeff and his group are repeat guests and therefore part of our extended Legends family. When we heard they wanted to return this spring, we wanted to make sure they were able to experience their trip as it was originally planned.”
“When we heard the guys were headed to Myrtle Beach for a golf vacation and had lost all their golf gear, Martin’s PGA TOUR Superstore wanted to provide them with a way to still have the vacation, and not break the bank replacing their equipment,“ said Bobby Pearson, general manager, Martin’s PGA TOUR Superstore. “We hope the $500 gift cards we’ve provided as well as the club fitting with a Certified Fitting Professional will help them, not only enjoy their vacation, but improve their skills while playing all the great golf courses the Grand Strand has to offer.“
About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 76 championship golf courses, 107 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the “Stay and Play Package,” Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship – the world’s largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit GolfHoliday.com.
On January 15th, the US Airways flight headed for Charlotte hit a flock of birds, just three minutes after takeoff. The plane lost both engines and was forced to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River. Thanks to the quick thinking of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, all 155 passengers survived but the luggage and golf clubs were lost. Kolodjay and his group were headed to Myrtle Beach for a five-day golf vacation but had to put the visit on hold.
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday president Bill Golden learned of the crash while in an airport and instructed staff members to get in touch with Kolodjay and help them fulfill their visit to the Grand Strand area. Partnering with Legends Resort, PGA TOUR Superstore and members of the Myrtle Beach golf community, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday invited the golfers to come back to Myrtle Beach, whenever they were ready to fly again.
During their five-day visit, April 22 through April 26, the group will enjoy complimentary rounds of golf at three Legends Resort courses, True Blue Plantation, The Heritage Club, TPC of Myrtle Beach and Wild Wing Plantation. A three-bedroom condo was provided by Legends Resort and will serve as home during the visit. PGA TOUR Superstore will give each member of the group a $500 gift card, in addition to custom club-fitting.
The group consists of the Kolodjay family, and friends of the family; Jeff Kolodjay, the unofficial group spokesperson in the numerous national interviews and a resident of Norwalk, Connecticut; his father Rob Kolodjay, who lives in Chicopee, Massachusetts; cousin Jim Stefanik from Chicopee and Jeff’s college golf teammate at Central Connecticut State; Jorge Morgado, Jim’s brother-in-law and also a resident of Chicopee; Rick Delisle, a friend and former coworker of Rob’s in Chicopee; and Dave Carlos, a childhood friend of Jeff’s from Chicopee, and the only member not to have made any of the group’s annual golf trips to the Grand Strand area.
Although a few of the members have traveled by plane since January 15th, many still had reservations about boarding a plane to Myrtle Beach again. After a group meeting to discuss dates and plans, the group decided to travel together and make the 13-hour trip by car.
“On behalf of our group, I’d like to express our most sincere thanks to the Myrtle Beach community, Legends Resort, PGA TOUR Superstore, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, and the many other folks involved in making this return trip possible,” said Kolodjay. “We are extremely grateful for the overall generosity and cannot wait to hit the links in Myrtle Beach! On our last attempt down to the area, we hit a few birdies. This time we hope to make a few!”
“To say that there was an immediate mood change in the airport when the news was broadcast is an understatement,” said Bill Golden, president of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, “When I heard that Kolodjay’s group was headed to Myrtle Beach to play golf, I knew that we needed to do something to help them. The entire Myrtle Beach golf community has stepped forward to welcome our guests back to the Grand Strand area.”
“Fortunately, this is a story with a happy ending, not only for the Kolodjay group, but everyone who was on the US Airways flight,” Larry Woodberry, Legends Resorts’ vice president of operations, said. “Jeff and his group are repeat guests and therefore part of our extended Legends family. When we heard they wanted to return this spring, we wanted to make sure they were able to experience their trip as it was originally planned.”
“When we heard the guys were headed to Myrtle Beach for a golf vacation and had lost all their golf gear, Martin’s PGA TOUR Superstore wanted to provide them with a way to still have the vacation, and not break the bank replacing their equipment,“ said Bobby Pearson, general manager, Martin’s PGA TOUR Superstore. “We hope the $500 gift cards we’ve provided as well as the club fitting with a Certified Fitting Professional will help them, not only enjoy their vacation, but improve their skills while playing all the great golf courses the Grand Strand has to offer.“
About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 76 championship golf courses, 107 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the “Stay and Play Package,” Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship – the world’s largest on-site golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit GolfHoliday.com.
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