Just beyond the condensed area of population in the Green Bay area (I feel calling it an urban hub may be a bit of a stretch), the fittingly-named Hidden Valley Driving Range, a staple of the Oneida community, is a picturesque gem. Nestled along a declining side of a county highway, the long, bending driveway, the gravel parking lot, the cozy hut, the rolling green filling the entire scene, and the backdrop of woods all emit a more personal experience. The school bus as the 100 yard target just adds to the amiable feeling of the range. Absent is the barrier of excessive etiquette and the air of unnecessary formality that sometimes gives off an arrogance that the casual golf fan may not always be compatible with. This is different. It’s much more personable and relatable.
While the driving range still currently carries the long-standing minimalist appeal that has kept it relevant for as long as this author’s waking life, fresh ownership has come in with ambitions far beyond what is currently presented to the eye. Upcoming UWGB grad and Oneida native John Danforth, 25, has undertaken ownership since April, and has been working on improvements since the first day it became his.
“Maintaining a clean manicured lawn is probably the simplest change that people will see,” says John of the immediate changes that can be expected, “Just cleaning up, hopefully growing in a sense that people are telling other people ‘the place looks better, there’s fun targets.’ Hopefully I can be here more often, which was a complaint. I want to market effectively and strategically.” With such a passion for the sport to go along with a long background at such a young age, an upward trend for the driving range is practically inevitable
A big leap in an enthusiasm towards a career in golf came when attending a First Nations Golf Association event at the age of 16, which also entailed a job fair where young people could meet professionals who work in the golf industry. Hearing from some were motivating, but hearing a superintendent of a golf course describe the attitude of feeling like he doesn’t work a day in his life stuck with the young, ambitious enthusiast. Almost symbolically, not too long after, the Oneida Nation bought Thornberry Creek Golf Course. A few months later, John took a job as a groundskeeper, where he learned the nuances of course maintenance.
John has a background in turf, as he studied it at UW-River Falls after his time at Golf Academy of America in San Diego, where he completed an Associates program. But the passion really developed during his time at Thornberry Creek. “I think there’s only a few amount of people that take pride in making straight lines,” says John, “I started in 2009 at Thornberry and ever since then, I became super critical of every piece of grass I lay eyes on.”
It shows through his enthusiasm when discussing the topic, as well as his actions when attaching priorities to the range. “When I go to other courses, I can see how crooked they cut lines, I can see patch areas…The grass to me is my own little hobby. It’s something I put a lot of time into.”
The high prioritization of the turf on his premises is about the furthest extent of formal golf influences at Hidden Valley Driving Range. The informality that’s present in the feeling of the range is one that is purposeful, and John hopes to maintain that feeling moving forward. “There has to be some level of professionalism, but I’m not trying to have a tie that’s asphyxiating me. I don’t want anyone to feel that this place is too high and mighty for them.”
He knows his place at this point in time and he’s trying to appeal to what reflects the majority of the Green Bay area. “I’m a driving range in northeastern Wisconsin,” says John, “There’s niches of white collar, but it can tend to get a little waspy. I just want it to be fun. I’m trying to lean more towards the fun side.”
The hope of giving a more personal and informal experience to others and to the game itself is just one of multiple motivations fueling the range and the ownership of the range. To learn more about these motivations and intangibles, read part two of this story, to be posted the week of October 2nd.
