Holdijk was born in Uddel, a village in the Veluwe region.
[1] He studied notary at a post-secondary level, and also law at Utrecht University.
Till his retirement at the age of 65 he was performing a judicial practice.
Belonging to the Reformed Association in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, he was a member of its executive committee since 1983.
[1] As a senator he was dealing with matters in the field of justice, home affairs and agriculture.