For most golfers, playing a Coore & Crenshaw golf course is a bucket list item. For Fergal O’Leary, a Member at The International in Massachusetts, it’s part of a lifelong journey dedicated to experiencing and appreciating some of the greatest courses in the world.
Fergal is no stranger to golf history. He holds the record as the youngest person to play all of the top 100 golf courses in the world. But if you ask him about it, he’s quick to turn the spotlight away from himself. “I genuinely don’t like to bring attention to myself or all the courses I’ve been so lucky to play, as I much rather focus my commentary on the appreciation I have for the gifts that the architects have left for us on the ground,” he says.
A Favorite Hole on the Pines
As much as Fergal admires Coore & Crenshaw as architects, he also loves experiencing their courses as a golfer. Recently, he joined YouTube’s MrShortGame to play his favorite hole on the Pines Course at The International—No. 15, a demanding par 4 that moves gracefully from left to right.
With water hazards running along the right side, the fairway naturally guides players into the bend, setting up a challenging approach. The green is just as memorable: a distinctive boomerang shape with bold contours. With the pin tucked into the bowl, precision is everything.
To see him take on the iconic 15th hole, watch his round with MrShortGame at The International’s Pines Course.
Chasing the Top 100
Fergal’s journey began in his twenties and reached a milestone in September 2011 at Sutton Bay in South Dakota, where he completed the Top 100 Courses in the U.S. list. From there, his pursuit expanded worldwide. He traveled through Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, ultimately finishing in August 2015 at Durban Country Club in South Africa, becoming the youngest person to play the Top 100 Courses in the World.
It’s a feat few can imagine, yet Fergal insists it was never about the record. For him, it was always about the architects, the land, and the way great design brings the two together.
A Walk with Bill Coore
In October 2024, Fergal had the rare honor of walking The International’s course with Bill Coore himself, just before the reimagined Pines Course opened for play. For someone who has spent years studying the work of Coore & Crenshaw golf course design, it was nothing short of surreal. Watching the architect trace the property, explaining the choices behind its routing, gave Fergal a first-hand look at the artistry he had admired from afar.
“In my own simple way – the best way I could describe a Coore & Crenshaw golf course is to compare it to walking along a nature trail, and golf holes happen to magically evolve along the route,” Fergal reflects. “I’ve studied how they thoughtfully walk a property countless times, figuring out the best way to bring the golfer towards the most interesting natural features available.”
A Student of Design
While many golfers are drawn to statistics, distance, or difficulty, Fergal has always been drawn to the design aspect. He understands the nuance that separates a good course from a great one. “You can count on one hand how many masterminds have done this successfully – but one thing is for sure, when you see the words ‘designed by Coore & Crenshaw’ on the back of a scorecard, it immediately gives a course a sense of elevated superiority,” he explains.
That respect isn’t born out of fandom alone, but from deep study and experience. Playing those courses around the world gave him a perspective few others share, and yet his admiration always circles back to the same point: the land and the architect’s ability to bring it to life.
Finding a Home at The International
For years, it was Fergal’s dream to be part of a club with a Coore & Crenshaw course. That dream became reality when he signed his membership paperwork at The International.
“For many years, it has been a dream of mine to belong to a special club with a course designed by Coore & Crenshaw. Signing the membership paperwork at The International has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he says.
For Fergal, The International isn’t just another course to add to his remarkable list. It’s a place where his passion for golf architecture, his respect for design, and his personal golfing journey converge. And perhaps most fittingly, it’s a place where, much like the courses he loves most, the magic unfolds naturally—one step at a time, along the trail.
See the Round for Yourself
Fergal’s love for the game shines brightest when he’s on the course. To see him take on the iconic 15th hole, watch his round with MrShortGame at The International’s Pines Course.
