We’re honored to share that The International has been featured in Volume III of The Massachusetts Golfer in a story titled “The International’s Man of Mystery”, written by Richard Rapp with stunning photography by Matthew Hart.
The article gives readers an exclusive preview of the soon-to-open Pines Course, designed by the legendary duo Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw—and offers rare insight into the design philosophies behind what promises to be one of New England’s most exciting new golf experiences.
A Closer Look at the Pines Course
On a golden autumn afternoon in October, Rapp joined Coore for a walking tour of the recently completed Pines Course at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts. The timing was perfect—crisp air, changing leaves, and golden light revealed the natural character and contours of the land. It’s this kind of environment that inspired Coore and Crenshaw’s minimalist, land-first approach to course design.
“The course looked special, and you could sense that he sensed it,” writes Rapp. “He even paused to snap a photo.”
The Pines Course is designed as a deliberate counterpoint to The International’s Oaks Course, an original Tom Fazio design that was restored by Tripp Davis in 2021. Where the Oaks is bold, sweeping, and pristine, the Pines is more understated and rugged, favoring subtlety and natural shaping over flash.
“That terrain over there is much bigger, more round, sweeping hills, and it’s just a different golf course,” Coore says in the article. “It’s a very, very good golf course, it’s very…it’s beautiful. And I guess almost everything about it is different.”
Design That Lets the Land Lead
A big part of what makes the Pines special is its minimalist design. Coore and Crenshaw didn’t force anything—they let the natural landscape guide the layout. The course flows through pitch pines and rolling hills in a way that feels effortless, like it’s always belonged there.
Even the sand was chosen with care. Instead of the bright white bunkers you see on many modern courses, the Pines uses a softer, beige sand. Coore said it was purely an aesthetic choice—one that fits the course’s more rugged, natural look and sets it apart from the more polished feel of the Oaks.
“When it’s well done, it looks so simple,” Coore once said of golf course design. The Pines is exactly that— simple and thoughtful.
A Different Kind of Modern Course
The Pines Course takes a different approach from many modern designs. Instead of focusing on distance, it prioritizes strategy and creativity. At a par 71 and just over 7,000 yards, it’s more than 1,000 yards shorter than the previous layout. Coore even joked that they might be the first design team to suggest making a course that much shorter, but the new ownership welcomed the idea.
One of the most memorable moments in the design process came during Coore’s first visit to the site. To help clear his mind of the old layout, he asked the superintendent to remove all the flagsticks. Then, by chance, it snowed. The light blanket of snow covered the turf just enough to hide the details, letting Coore see only the natural shape of the land. It helped him reimagine the property with fresh eyes, guided by the movement of the earth and the story it could tell.
“It’s very difficult to not see what’s there,” he said, “you have to start looking past it. What’s the ground telling you?”
Opening June 2025
The Pines Course is scheduled to open in June 2025, and this feature offers a sneak peek into what players can expect: a course rooted deeply in its New England surroundings, shaped by one of the most respected minds in the game.
If you’re a fan of thoughtful golf design, we highly recommend picking up Volume III of The Massachusetts Golfer and reading the full article. Rapp’s writing and Hart’s photography beautifully capture the essence of the Pines and the quiet brilliance of Bill Coore himself.
Experience The Pines before the first tee time—click here to explore the feature in Volume III of The Massachusetts Golfer.
