Here is a fact that ruins a certain kind of man's afternoon: Castle Pines is a city. An incorporated municipality in Douglas County, Colorado. It has a mayor. It has a Safeway. It has roughly ten thousand people who have never once been asked “and who are you here with?”
It also has golf. Lots of it. The Country Club at Castle Pines. The Ridge at Castle Pines North. Castle Pines Parkway, which you may drive on for free. And, yes, one ultra-exclusive private club that behaves as though it personally invented the pine tree.
You cannot trademark a town
That club does not own the words “Castle Pines” any more than it owns “pine,” “castle,” or “golf.” Geographic names belong to everyone who lives near them. “Beverly Hills” is shared by a zip code and a thousand barbershops. “Castle Pines” is shared by a city, its schools, its roads, and — as of now — a satirical golf brand with two robins where the hummingbirds should be.
So we made our own. Castle Pines National Golf Club. Castle Pines Community Golf. Hooker Links at Castle Pines. All equally legitimate, because a town is not a password.
The point
Gatekeeping is funniest when you remember the gate is imaginary. The pines were here before the club, and they'll be here after. The robins are just the first ones brave enough to say so.