Constructed in 1901, the Pines Course at The International is steeped in history. Over 120 years later, a redesign breathes new life into a classic venue while honoring the vision of one of golf’s historic greats.
From the earliest days of golf in America, the game has always had a home in Boston. The area is synonymous with the biggest events and greatest players the sport has ever seen, and located in the heart of it all is The International.
Founded in 1901, The International and its original Pines Course have long been a staple of New England golf. The course’s rich history is intertwined with the history of golf, and like the game itself, is constantly evolving.
The father of golf in America, Francis Ouimet, who kickstarted the game in the U.S. with a historic win in the 1913 U.S. Open, lent his name to the Pines Course in 1954. Ouimet consulted architect Geoffrey S. Cornish on an expansion of the nine-hole layout that created the full course that exists today. Then in 1972, Robert Trent Jones added his renowned touch, modifying the slick greens and challenging bunkers that dot the landscape.
And now, nearly 70 years since Ouimet’s vision was brought to life at The International, the acclaimed design duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw are reshaping the Pines Course for the current generation.
To be completed in 2024, the project will allow the natural landscape to create 18 new and distinctive golf holes that present a modern challenge while preserving the foundation laid by Cornish and Ouimet years ago. In Coore and Crenshaw’s entirely new routing, they are carving dramatic tree-lined corridors that will present a brand new and visually stunning challenge.
“Given the design features that Geoff Cornish and those who have preceded us at the Pines have given us to work with and the landforms, vegetation and soils nature has provided, we are excited about the prospects,” said Coore.
He and Crenshaw bring almost 50 years of knowledge and expertise in golf course design to this project at The International, adding the Pines Course to the likes of Pinehurst No. 2 and Riviera Country Club in their star-studded portfolio.
With this renovation, the design duo will bolster the already rich Boston golf landscape with a course that provides a fresh look and feel while also complementing the famous New England style of surrounding layouts like The Country Club and Myopia Hunt Club.
“We hope to present a course whose character is perhaps a bit more classic New England golf architecture,” Coore said. “By that I refer to architecture featuring more abrupt mounding, ridges, hollows and sometimes quirky but highly interesting golfing features. Our hope is to create a course to complement the heritage of golf architecture in the greater Boston area.”
Although still a ways out from the expected completion date in 2024, the Pines Course redesign has already begun to take shape as Coore & Crenshaw plot out the new and improved routing. The architects will not give away too much of a preview, but Coore remarked on the potential of the Pines Course and their vision for The International.
“As I continue to walk the routing and the proposed course plans, I realize I can be excited about all of the holes and the potential they present when combined into the course as a whole,” Coore said. “There are no holes that have little or no potential or will be extremely difficult to make interesting or playable. Even highly interesting sites often have a hole or two that require significant work to make them measure up to their siblings. I do not see that requirement at the Pines Course.”
Since acquiring The International – the only private 36-hole club in Greater Boston – in 2021, Escalante Golf has implemented an aggressive approach to building out a strong national and international membership that has garnered plenty of interest from passionate golfers. Become a part of this reimagined golf nirvana that is growing quickly. Contact Tony Giannetti at tony.giannetti@theinternational.com before initiation fees increase on August 31, 2022, or visit www.theinternational.com.