Community rallies to restore Miles City Town & Country Club after storm

MILES CITY – Miles City Town & Country Club will never look the same again.

On Saturday, a violent storm devastated and destroyed nearly 30 mature trees on the course, including three along the par-5 7th fairway. This will change the playing experience on the course forever.

“It blew the umbrellas onto our practice green, so I tried to save it. There were pieces of bark that were probably half my size flying through the air at 60 to 70 miles an hour,” head golf professional Dylan Munroe told MTN Sports. “I’ve never been in a tornado, but that was probably the closest thing to a tornado.”

Extensive cleanup operations began early Sunday morning. Club president Jeff Bush said he had difficulty finding a 5×5 meter area that was not blocked by large branches, including on the access and exit roads.

“People just dug a hole and started piling it up. Piling up here, piling up there. A couple of guys got out with chainsaws and cleared the road,” Bush said.

What Bush intended to take a week was accomplished in a matter of days, demonstrating the resilience of the members and community of Miles City.

“A lot of members here just volunteer their time. All it took was a couple of guys sitting there on Saturday night and saying, ‘Hey, let’s get together here at 8 o’clock and get started,'” Bush said. “We have Bobcat here in Miles City. I tell you what, we couldn’t have done any of this without them. And they’re still here. The equipment they bring – they said, ‘Guys, just take back your golf course.’

“It’s been less than 72 hours since this golf course was demolished. (We played) league on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. A pairs league ends. I would have bet a million dollars that wouldn’t happen.”

Both Bush and Munroe mentioned that their annual member-guest tournament had ended about a half hour earlier, so fortunately no one was on the course during the storm.

It may look a little different, but Miles City Town & Country Club is back in action.