Sports

Patriot Golf Days Turns Remembrance Into Opportunity For Families Like Hannah Davis'

By Brendon Elliott Athlon Sports

Updated May 18, 2026 3:44 PM

There are pictures that explain a mission better than any slogan ever could.

A young father seated on the grass with a baby in his lap. A family gathered on a front porch. A Christmas morning scene with wrapping paper, small children and the kind of ordinary joy every parent wants to give their kids.

Hannah Davis' childhood family photos help show the human story behind Folds of Honor and the lasting impact of Patriot Golf Days.

Then comes the part of Hannah Davis' story that stops everything.

She was only three years old when her father, United States Army First Lieutenant Jeffrey C. Davis, died in a helicopter accident on Jan. 31, 1998. He was 31 years old.

That number alone is hard to sit with. Thirty-one. A husband. A father. A soldier. A man who had already built a remarkable record of service and still had so much life ahead of him.

For Hannah, the loss came before memory could fully hold it. But it did not come before love. It did not come before legacy. And thanks in part to Folds of Honor, it did not come before a future.

That is why this Memorial Day weekend's Patriot Golf Days matter so deeply.

Support Patriot Golf Days This Memorial Day Weekend

Patriot Golf Days gives golfers, PGA Professionals and facilities across the country a simple way to honor sacrifice through the game. Every donation helps Folds of Honor provide educational scholarships to the spouses and children of America's fallen or disabled military members and first responders.

Round up a purchase or add a donation at a participating golf facility.
Host or support a Patriot Golf Days event at your club.
Take part in a HERO100 Golf Marathon.
Make a one-time donation directly to Folds of Honor.

Learn About Patriot Golf Days

Donate To Folds Of Honor

More Than A Scholarship

Folds of Honor provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of America's fallen or disabled military service members and first responders. Its mission is simple, direct and powerful: honor their sacrifice, educate their legacy and unite Americans around those who serve.

For families like Hannah's, that mission is not abstract.

It is tuition. It is opportunity. It is a reminder that the country has not forgotten. It is a way for the golf community to step into the space between loss and what comes next.

Hannah went on to attend and graduate from Michigan State University with help from Folds of Honor. That education changed the shape of her life.

"Folds of Honor gave me opportunities that went far beyond helping me pay for school," Hannah said. "Attending Michigan State allowed me to leave my small, northern Michigan town, meet new people and start figuring out who I wanted to be."

That is the part donors and golfers do not always see.

A scholarship is not just a number on a ledger. It can be the difference between a door staying closed and a young person getting the chance to walk through it. It can be the difference between a family feeling forgotten and a family feeling carried.

"More than anything, it gave me options," Hannah said. "And that changed a lot for me."

The Father She Still Carries With Her

First Lieutenant Jeffrey C. Davis' military path was extraordinary.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1985. He earned the rare distinction of "triple tabber," achieving Airborne, Ranger and Special Forces qualifications. He served with the 3rd U.S. Infantry and completed two terms as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before earning his officer's commission and becoming a Black Hawk pilot.

Those facts tell one part of the story.

Hannah tells the rest.

"I've always considered my dad a hero," she said. "Growing up, the stories I heard about him and everything he accomplished made him seem larger than life. Almost like Superman."

As she has grown older, that sense of awe has not disappeared. It has deepened.

"As I've gotten older, that really hasn't changed," Hannah said. "But I do think I understand the dedication, commitment and sacrifice a lot more now than I did when I was younger."

That is one of the quiet truths about Gold Star families. Grief changes shape over time. A child grows into the story. A parent's service becomes more understandable. The sacrifice becomes more personal, not less.

For Hannah, Folds of Honor helped reconnect her with a military community that had always been part of her story, even after her family stepped away from it in the years following her father's death.

"It's made me realize even more just how incredible his accomplishments really were," she said.

Education Was Part Of His Dream, Too

One of the most powerful parts of Hannah's story is that education was not only something Folds of Honor helped provide for her. It was something her father deeply valued.

Jeffrey Davis dreamed of going to college and becoming a high school history teacher. Coming out of high school, that was not financially possible, so he enlisted in the Army. He later earned a "Green to Gold" scholarship, attended Central Michigan University and earned the education degree he had always wanted.

"He didn't let an obstacle stop him," Hannah said. "He worked hard, found another way and made it happen."

That example stayed with her.

"He really understood what an education could do for him and his family," she said. "And that's always stuck with me."

There is something profoundly full-circle about that.

A father who believed in education did not get to see his daughter grow up. He did not get to watch her graduate. He did not get to see the adult life she would build. But through Folds of Honor, the value he placed on education still reached her.

That is legacy.

Not as a word. As an action.

By The Numbers: Folds Of Honor

73,000

Nearly that many educational scholarships awarded since 2007.

$340M+

More than $340 million in educational impact.

91%

Annual expenses supporting scholarship programs.

May

Patriot Golf Days runs throughout May and culminates over Memorial Day weekend.

Why Patriot Golf Days Matter

Patriot Golf Days gives the golf community a way to turn gratitude into action.

The initiative runs throughout May and culminates over Memorial Day weekend, giving golfers, PGA Professionals and facilities across the country a direct path to support educational scholarships for families of fallen or disabled military members and first responders.

Courses can participate through golf shop round-up campaigns, tournaments or HERO100 Golf Marathons. Golfers can donate, round up a purchase or support the mission through a participating facility.

The ask is simple.

Play. Give. Remember.

This is where golf can be at its best. Not because the game solves every problem, but because it gathers people. It creates community. It gives PGA Professionals, club operators, members and everyday players a chance to do something meaningful together.

And when that effort reaches a recipient like Hannah Davis, it becomes much more than a Memorial Day gesture.

"The scholarship is truly life changing for someone whose life has already been impacted by such a tragic loss," Hannah said. "It's not just about helping pay for school. It makes the families left behind feel a little less alone."

That line should stay with every golfer who tees it up this weekend.

A little less alone.

There may not be a more human way to explain what Folds of Honor does.

A Life Built With Purpose

Hannah has built a life of purpose. She is self-employed. She is married to a West Point graduate and Army veteran, which has deepened her connection to the military community and given her a greater appreciation for the sacrifices military families make.

Her life did not move forward because the loss stopped hurting. It moved forward because love, support, education and community helped create a path.

"My education gave me the foundation and professional skills to succeed," Hannah said. "It gave me confidence to leave my comfort zone, figure things out and carve my own path."

Folds of Honor has also helped her grow as a speaker and representative of the mission.

"Speaking on their behalf has pushed me to do things that once would have scared me," she said. "It taught me that stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to some really incredible opportunities."

But the center of it all remains her father.

"I also always carry my dad with me in everything I do," Hannah said. "I want to make him proud and that's a great motivator for building a life with purpose."

What Golf Can Do This Weekend

Memorial Day asks Americans to remember.

Patriot Golf Days asks golfers to do something with that remembrance.

That might mean a club registering its facility. It might mean a PGA Professional placing the mission in front of players this weekend. It might mean a golfer rounding up at the shop, donating after a round or encouraging their group to give.

Every piece matters.

Since its founding in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 73,000 educational scholarships totaling more than $340 million. Those are massive numbers, but the real power is in the individual lives behind them.

Hannah Davis is one of those lives.

Her father's sacrifice did not end with his death. It continued in the opportunities created for his daughter. It continued in the education she received. It continues in the story she now shares.

That is what Patriot Golf Days is really about.

Not charity as a transaction.

Not Memorial Day as a long weekend.

Not golf as just a game.

It is a father's legacy. A daughter's future. A family reminded that sacrifice is seen, remembered and honored.

And this weekend, golf has a chance to be the vehicle that helps carry that forward.

Key Takeaways

Hannah Davis was three years old when her father, Army First Lieutenant Jeffrey C. Davis, died in a helicopter accident.
Folds of Honor helped Hannah attend and graduate from Michigan State University.
Patriot Golf Days gives golfers and facilities a direct way to support families of fallen or disabled military members and first responders.
This Memorial Day weekend, every round, donation and facility activation can help educate the legacy of America's heroes.

PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer who serves as Athlon Sports Senior Golf Writer. Read his recent "The Starter" on R.org, where he is their Lead Golf Writer. To stay updated on all of his latest work, sign up for his newsletter or visit his MuckRack Profile.

This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 3:20 PM.