ABOUT

Our program is designed to address specific barriers and create meaningful opportunities for young people, particularly those from underserved backgrounds.

A girl wearing a white cap, sleeveless turquoise top, and purple shorts practicing golf on a sunny golf course, holding a golf club over her shoulder.

Story of Wider Fairways

I come from a golfing family. 

but that wasn’t always the case. As a kid, golf wasn’t an obvious path for me. I was small in stature, and my dream of playing in the NBA faded early. My parents gently steered me toward an individual sport where size mattered less and opportunity felt more realistic. That sport was golf.

I fell in love with the game the best way I could afford it—scraping pennies out of drawers to play our local par‑3 course. When the pennies didn’t add up, I spent hours on the practice putting green instead. I loved the game, but I never took lessons or fully pursued my potential.

Fast forward to 1999. Now I was the parent, sitting with my family watching the PGA Championship. Tiger Woods was charging down the stretch, with a young Sergio Garcia chasing him—both of them running after shots, playing with joy and energy that felt new and electric in the golf world. In that moment, my ten‑year‑old son Nick turned to me and said, “I want to play golf.”

This time, I did things differently. I made sure Nick received lessons and learned the game the right way. He went on to play in tournaments and for his high school team, and he still enjoys the game and plays well today.

Along the way, my spouse took up golf too. Then the next generation stepped onto the course. Nick’s daughter, Saviah, began golfing at just five years old through the wonderful youth program at Indian Canyon Golf Course. By her sixth summer of golf, she was competing in tournaments and truly falling in love with the game.

Watching my granddaughter’s passion grow filled me with pride—but it also brought back a hard truth: golf is expensive. I began to wonder how her parents, like so many others, could keep up and continue giving her opportunities to grow in the game. Not every child grows up on a country club course. Many never get the chance at all.

As some of my non‑golfer friends are quick to remind me, golf has long been an exclusive sport. For generations, many people—especially people of color and women—were intentionally excluded. While times have changed, that legacy still lingers. Youth from many communities have little or no exposure to golf because of social and economic barriers that remain firmly in place.

I knew I wanted to do something.

Wider Fairways is my hope to bring greater equity to the game of golf—to remove barriers, open doors, and create opportunities for all youth to enjoy and succeed in this sport. Together, we can design wider fairways and a more inclusive future for golf.


-Jim CastroLang
Founder and President
Wider Fairways

WE’RE FOCUSED ON INCREASING YOUTH GOLF PARTICIPATION THROUGH:

Our Goal

Providing ongoing support and scholarships for young golfers

Partnering with local teaching professionals and courses to create supportive environments for youth

Engaging underserved communities to increase awareness and participation

Expanding access to junior golf instruction through collaborative and subsidized programs

Wider Fairways Golf Association

Youth who meet criteria to be established by the Board may be enrolled in the Wider Fairways Golf Association (WFGA). Belonging to the Association will enable continual multi-year support for young golfers seeking to maximize their participation and success in the game of golf.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Jeffrey C. Samson

    Jeffrey C. Samson

    TREASURER

    Jeffrey C. Samson is a finance and operations executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience in mission-driven organizations across the nonprofit and public sectors. He has held senior roles including Director of Finance, Controller, and Deputy Chief Finance & Administration Officer, overseeing complex budgets, multi-entity structures, audits, and strategic planning for organizations focused on homelessness, affordable housing, health, and community development. Jeffrey is known for building strong financial systems, coaching high-performing teams, and translating complex financial information into clear, actionable insight for CEOs and boards.

    Born and raised in the Philippines, Jeffrey moved to Los Angeles in 2000 and has been deeply engaged in community work ever since. He has actively served and supported nonprofits advocating for LGBTQ+ equality, access to education, children’s well-being, and immigrant and refugee rights. Now based in the Inland Northwest, Jeffrey continues to lend his skills and lived experience to organizations working at the intersection of equity, belonging, and opportunity.

    Beyond spreadsheets and board rooms, Jeffrey values good coffee, meaningful conversation, and building communities where everyone feels seen, safe, and able to thrive.

  • Aaron Asmus

    Aaron Asmus

    SECRETARY

     is the cofounder and president of Resourceful Elephant Group (REG), where he leverages more than 15 years of social service experience to guide communities through datadriven assessment and strategic planning processes. He and his team help organizations identify key community needs and implement impactful, sustainable solutions. Aaron also serves as the U.S. Kids Local Tour Director for Spokane and the Inland Northwest, creating familyfriendly golf experiences for youth ages 5–18. His background includes managing national grant programs at PetSmart Charities, leadership roles in operations and training at PetSmart, and serving as executive director of the Cat Adoption Team. Aaron specializes in operations, financial analysis, program assessment, and strategic planning.

  • KARINA DAVILA

    Karina Davila, PGA

    DIRECTOR

    Karina is an Assistant Golf Professional at Indian Canyon Golf Course, where she has worked since 2017. She recently began serving on the Inland Chapter Orientation Committee, where she supports associates as they begin and navigate the PGA education process.

    Originally from Mexico, Karina moved to the United States to pursue collegiate golf while learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. That experience deeply shaped her perspective on access and opportunity. As a bilingual professional, she has led Spanish-speaking instructional classes and continues exploring ways to make the game more welcoming to families who may not traditionally see themselves represented in golf.

    Throughout her career, Karina has worked with juniors, women, and new golfers, and has witnessed firsthand the opportunities the game can create; from confidence and mentorship to educational and career pathways. She believes access to golf should not be limited by income, background, or ethnicity.

  • Jim CastroLang

    Jim CastroLang

    PRESIDENT & BOARD CHAIR

    Jim brings a varied career of leadership to the founding of Wider Fairways.  As an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC) he focuses on ministries of compassion and justice.  This passion drives his nonprofit work and jobs in many sectors including his volunteer community engagement.  Historical and structural injustices tear away at to many people’s dignity and opportunity.  Recently, Jim completed three years advocating for refugees and asylum seekers.  Now he is turning to bring equity to all youth in pursuing golf for fun and competitively.  Historically exclusions and the high cost of golf have left too many youth of the course.