The International appoints Coore & Crenshaw to renovate Pines course
The International Golf Club & Resort in Bolton, Massachusetts, has appointed architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to renovate its Pines course.
The course originally opened in 1957 and was designed by Geoff Cornish with input from 1913 US Open champion Francis Ouimet. Robert Trent Jones Sr completed a renovation in 1972, which made the Pines one of the country’s longest golf courses at 8,325 yards.
Coore and Crenshaw plan to refine Cornish’s original layout as well as drawing inspiration from the land. “We will study the Pines course more as a landform in its raw state as if no golf course exists,” said Coore. “We don’t want to view this as restoring an existing course and be too influenced by its features.”
The pair are considering removing several tee boxes and rerouting some holes to help with the flow of the course.
“Our job is to wed holes to the ground as we see them in a natural way,” said Crenshaw. “That’s what we attempt to do – we like to see the ground with no preconceived notions on what to do.”
Owner-operator Escalante Golf acquired The International in February 2021 and aims to “reimagine the club as one of New England’s most iconic private, golf-first membership experiences”. Earlier this month, Escalante also hired golf course architect Tripp Davis to renovate the club’s Oaks course.
David McDonald, president of Escalante Golf, said: “Over the years, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have set the standard for golf course architecture built on their respect for classic golf courses. Their design philosophy of traditional, strategic golf perfectly marries with our vision for The International – to honour and celebrate golf in its purest form.”
“The plans that the Escalante team have for The International are nothing short of compelling,” said Crenshaw. “The International, in its bones, reflects golf’s Golden Age. We look forward to working with owners who want to preserve and honour that legacy by creating a club that is rooted in a deep respect for the game.”
Construction work is scheduled to begin in 2022.