SAN DIEGO, CA. – Heritage Golf Group, LLC (HGG), a leading owner and operator of premier golf properties across the country, announced today that Palmetto Hall Plantation Club has awarded an Honorary Membership to a wounded warrior within the Hilton Head Island community. Palmetto Hall Plantation Club, along with the other private and resort clubs in the Heritage Collection, is participating in the Adopt-A-Wounded Warrior Program, whereby Honorary Club Memberships are awarded to the Wounded Warrior Project for the benefit of a local wounded warrior. Wounded Warrior Project is responsible for identifying qualified wounded warriors and matching them with each private club in their community. The wounded warrior is then awarded an Honorary Membership for themselves and their family.
Palmetto Hall Plantation Club welcomes Joe Caley as their Wounded Warrior for 2012. Captain Joe Caley US Army (Ret) entered the Army in 1990 as an enlisted Soldier and was commissioned from Officer Candidate School as an Infantry officer in 2007. More recently, he was deployed on multiple combat tours. Capt. Caley, a parachutist and Army Ranger, was attached to the 1-155th CAB on his 43rd combat mission on September 18th, 2009, southwest of Baghdad, when he was seriously wounded by a large secondary explosion while rescuing an Iraq civilian from a burning vehicle. Near death, Capt. Caley was flown to Landstuhl Hospital in Germany. He sustained a traumatic brain injury and serious injuries to both feet, making it virtually impossible for him to walk. Capt. Caley also suffered from severe migraine headaches, memory loss, and daily nausea. Several months after his injury, Capt. Caley slowly began to walk again, having to concentrate intently on every movement.
Capt. Caley and a fellow wounded warrior then began going to a local golf driving range in Augusta. He was on crutches and could barely stand, much less keep his balance, and he had difficulty getting his eyes to focus on the ball. But, Capt. Caley discovered something there on that golf course while trying over and over again to hit the ball as far and as straight as he could. What he realized was that this was excellent therapy. Today, Capt. Caley’s passion for golf has him hitting more than 1,000 golf balls a week and has given him the opportunity to go to the Masters and to meet Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods.
Capt. Caley and a friend in the Wounded Warrior Transition Battalion at Ft. Gordon joined together to start the Wounded Warrior Golf Therapy program – now a recognized treatment program for warriors with traumatic brain injuries. Capt. Caley is currently employed by the Wounded Warrior Project as an Area outreach coordinator for the Southeastern Region of the United States. One of his functions is to introduce fellow Wounded Warriors to his favorite game of golf. He is honored when he sees a Wounded Warrior show up at a tournament and discovers that they learned the game through the golf therapy program that he started. Capt. Caley has now found his true calling–helping Wounded Warriors heal.
Capt. Caley has a BA degree in Business management from the University of Mississippi. He and his wife Mary have a seven year old daughter, Alaina and live in Augusta, GA, where Joe is receiving treatment at the Eisenhower Medical Center for combat injuries sustained in Iraq.
“We are delighted to welcome Joe and his family to Palmetto Hall Plantation Club,” said Ray Dznowski, Director of Operations for the Heritage Collection on Hilton Head Island. “The honorary membership program is another great way that we can show appreciation for the sacrifices made by America’s service members.”
Palmetto Hall Plantation Club features 36 holes of pristine golf immersed in Southern elegance and natural beauty. The Arthur Hills and Robert Cupp designed courses are designed to challenge and reward players of all skill levels; they are premier properties for enjoying the true Hilton Head experience. Palmetto Hall Plantation Club proudly features a 14,000 square foot antebellum-style Clubhouse, as well as luxurious amenities for the entire family. Palmetto Hall Plantation Club is recognized as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for its commitment to environmental quality by meeting required standards for protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and preserving wildlife habitats.
About Heritage Golf Group
Heritage Golf Group (www.heritagegolfgroup.com) began in 1999 with funding provided by the private equity firm, GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC. Since then, the company has grown an impressive portfolio of private and resort golf clubs around the country. The Heritage portfolio represents some of the most well-known and acclaimed properties spanning Texas, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina. The company, led by Bob Husband, President and CEO, distinguishes itself through its dedication to unrivaled golf and uncompromising service.
Contact:
Addis Kassegn
(858) 617-6118
