BUTTERFIELD TRAIL GOLF CLUB
El Paso International Airport
El Paso, Texas

In response to a solicitation by the El Paso International Airport thru the City of El Paso Engineering Department, ECM International assembled a team of ten professionals for the design and construction of a new championship 18-hole golf course. ECM, serving as the prime consultant, led the team which included the world’s number one golf course designer -Tom Fazio, and other consultants such as irrigation consultants, agronomists, lake designers, clubhouse architects, civil engineers, water resource engineers, soil engineers, and surveyors.
The initial intent of the City was to design the golf course to utilize brackish waters found in the aquifer under the golf course site. Studies and analyses were performed not only on the brackish waters, but also on the underlying soils to establish percolation rates and suitability for golf course turf. Salt-tolerant grasses were also evaluated from different parts of the world. In addition, ECM worked closely with Fazio to develop a masterplan of the facility and establish its final location within a 2,000 acre desert setting. The irrigation system was designed to use two interconnecting lakes as a source for irrigation water. Ultimately, the golf coursed was designed with pretreatment capabilities at the pump station using conventional regional golf course turf.
The ability of ECM to bring together and manage highly specialized professionals for the design of this project proved critical to its success. The professionals were not only from El Paso, but also from San Antonio, Texas, California, Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. Many unforeseen challenges were handled in a timely and professional manner and the course was opened in May 2007. In March 2008, Golf Magazine named Butterfield Trail Golf Club the “Number Two Best, New Public Golf Course in the United States.” In 2009 Golf Inc. Magazine named Butterfield Trail Golf Club "2009 Development of the Year", "Top 10 New Courses You Can Play" by Golf Magazine, one of the "50 Best New Courses" by Golfweek Magazine, and one of "America's Best New Courses" by Golf Digest.