Pleasanton’s The Club at Castlewood turns 100 years old in 2026 and undoubtedly, members will toast with fine sparkling wine. Still, expect premium cake and ice cream to be on hand for those too young to partake in the bubbly. In celebrating Castlewood’s past, it’s clear that the club has prioritized its future—by nurturing its junior golf program in superlative fashion.
In May 1982, Castlewood launched the Junior Golf Merit Program. This unprecedented transformational shift in the club’s commitment to youth golf provided one or two outstanding local junior golfers annually with a complimentary club membership, full participation in junior events and a developmental opportunity at a premier club environment. The Founding Committee of Russ Hatfield, Chuck Denning, Bob Zedlitz and the Director, Jerry Blackmore evaluated candidates on golf ability; scholastic achievement; personal conduct and character; and recommendations from local high school golf coaches. Pleasanton’s Mark Sarbiewski and Livermore’s Matt Mailander set a high bar as the first Merit recipients. In short, the Junior Golf Merit Program was a game changer, its holistic evaluation model years ahead of its time.
Today, Castlewood remains a cornerstone for junior golf in Northern California. Camps, clinics, private lessons, leagues, tournaments and a mentoring program from the club’s Junior Merit Scholars are among the many offerings.
Perhaps the most prominent Merit Program recipient was Pat Hurst of San Leandro, who captured the 1986 U.S. Girls’ Junior, the 1989 NCAA Championship and the 1990 U.S. Women’s Amateur. As a professional, she won a major, the Nabisco Dinah Shore (now The Chevron Championship) in 1998 and captained the 2021 U.S. Solheim Cup team.
At least 11 alumni of the Castlewood Junior Golf Merit Program turned professional and more than 100 have gone on to compete at the collegiate level. For a combination of popularity and success, however, no Castlewood junior topped Paula Creamer. Growing up in a house that overlooked the first hole of the club’s Hill course, Castlewood is where Creamer learned to play, compete and succeed. Two years after she took up the game alongside her father, Paul, she soared, winning 13 consecutive regional junior events. The following year, she ascended to the top-ranked female junior golfer in California.
As a seventh grader in 2000, she relocated to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. More spectacular results followed, culminating with a victory at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open. Through it all, the player nicknamed “Pink Panther” never forgot her Castlewood roots.
Not every junior becomes a major champion like Pat Hurst or Paula Creamer. If they’re part of the Junior Golf Program at century-old Castlewood, however, they’ve got a fantastic head start. Three current examples of stellar junior talents exemplify the high standards of excellence established by the club.
Jaclyn LaHa has amassed a glittering array of fantastic finishes, as a junior and as a third-year standout at the University of Virginia. The Pleasanton native was a first-team Rolex Junior All-American in 2022, while in 2021, at age 16, she competed at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club, after qualifying with a score of 7-under-par 137. LaHa began her collegiate experience by making the ACC Honor Roll in 2023-‘24.
Another Pleasanton prodigy is Brandon Knight. As a high school senior, he claimed the CIF State Championship with a 5-under-par 66 and he has followed up with sizzling scores throughout college. Now in his third year at University of Colorado, Knight was third on the team in the fall of the 2025-’26 season with a 69.93 scoring average. His career round came at home—an 8-under-par 64 in 2023 during U.S. Amateur Qualifying at Castlewood.
Yet one more phenomenal Pleasanton product is Richard Ding. In 2024—’25 as a 14-year-old freshman at Laurel Springs School, he won the inaugural NCGA Boys’ Junior of the Year award. He followed up in 2025 with six consecutive tournament top 10s, including back-to-back victories in mid-summer. The highlight was a win at the AJGA Junior at Hunter Ranch on sensational rounds of 68-68-65.
The innovative junior programs at The Club at Castlewood have clearly served as a springboard for a growing roster of remarkable young golfers. Expect to see plenty more success stories over the next 100 years.
