The International – New England’s preeminent 36-hole, “pure golf” private club – will open its new golf course, The Pines, for member play on June 6 in Bolton MA.
To mark the occasion, the club is planning a number of special activities. They include celebratory menu items, merchandise giveaways, a Friday afternoon barbecue for the grounds team and a Saturday evening reception for members. The reception will be highlighted by a “fireside chat” with Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, founders of the world-renowned golf course architecture firm Coore & Crenshaw.
Best known for decades as America’s longest golf course, The Pines was completely reimagined over the past three years by the Coore & Crenshaw team. It created a totally new layout – not a single hole corridor or green site remains from the prior version. The routing, a par 71 measuring more than 7,000 yards from the back tees, is now more artfully draped over the land’s rolling topography and reflects Coore & Crenshaw’s trademark emphasis on beauty, strategy and playability.
“Over the last 20 or so years, there’s been a significant change to the perception of what constitutes a ‘great’ golf course,” said Jeff Kindred, Chief Operating Officer for Escalante Golf, owner and operator of the club. “While the new Pines Course will still challenge players, it will do so without overly relying on sheer length. Instead, it will combine Bill and Ben’s classically inspired architecture with firm-and-fast course conditioning to create a playing experience that requires both creativity and skilled shotmaking. This throwback to option-oriented golf is embraced by today’s players and drove our decision to rethink The Pines and begin a new chapter in The International’s 125-year history.”
Fundamental to Coore & Crenshaw’s design philosophy is the idea of creating a rhythm from one shot to the next. This connectivity ensures that every hole contributes to the overall experience, giving a sense of flow and continuity to a round of golf. To accomplish this, they carefully select holes of varying lengths and strategic demands. Examples on The Pines include No. 16, a tantalizingly short par 3; No. 4, a reachable par 5; and No. 8, a temptingly driveable par 4. Every hole on the golf course is memorable and its own unique test, while seamlessly tying back to the larger 18-piece puzzle.
“We’ve failed, to be quite candid, if we have a signature hole,” said Bill Coore. “To me, that basically is saying that you spent all your efforts on that one hole. You grounded the entire golf course around one hole. Instead, we believe that every hole could be a signature hole to someone, and we are proud to say we’ve accomplished this on The Pines.”
The Pines’ new architecture will shine even brighter thanks to the strategic use of fescue grass on fairways, tees and in the rough. This turf, most commonly found on seaside golf courses in the British Isles, encourages shots to bounce and roll more than the grasses typically found on other New England courses. Fescue also requires less frequent mowing and lower inputs of water and fertilizer.
Bentgrass, specifically the 007XL cultivar, will be used on the greens. It was selected for its exceptional turf density and fine leaf texture, which enhance putting quality and create a consistently smooth surface. In addition, 007XL performs particularly well in cool weather, maintaining active growth and strong visual appeal during lower temperature periods – an important trait for the New England climate.
Many of the greens are also canted from front-to-back, rather than the more typical back-to-front arrangement. This will further entice players to consider bouncing their approach shots into an interesting variety of hole locations. The greens themselves are fairly large, ranging from 4,200 sq. ft. (short par-3 16th) to 10,800 sq. ft. (long par-3 third). Playing corridors are quite expansive, as the course features some 55 acres of fairways. The holes are frequently framed by pitch pines, a species that thrives in the sandy pockets of soil sporadically found across New England, Long Island and New Jersey.
Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the club’s 660-acre property, Coore & Crenshaw also incorporated the surrounding landscape into their vision for The Pines, using indigenous materials to create distinctive features. The dramatic “Quarry” around Holes 2, 3 and 13 is a prime example. It adds both visual interest and strategic depth, while showcasing their appreciation for the course’s secluded natural setting.
“As designers of some of the world’s greatest courses to open over the last 30 years, Bill and Ben’s reputation is sterling,” said Jody Tavarez, Executive Vice President of Agronomy, Escalante Golf. “But beyond that, we share their great admiration for the classic golf courses built during the 1920s that featured a compelling blend of strategy and artistry. Coore & Crenshaw’s immense respect for the game’s history made them an ideal match for our overall vision for The International as a place where the game is celebrated.”
Originally opened in 1901, The International has evolved over the past century into one of the finest golf clubs in New England. Since acquiring it in 2021, Escalante Golf has invested more than $40 million in the club. Before beginning work on The Pines, a renovation of the club’s Tom Fazio-designed Oaks Course was led by renowned architect Tripp Davis. With The Pines project now complete, attention will turn to the construction of member cottages and then a new clubhouse.
Photo: The first hole on The Pines (Matt Hart)