After strong storms blew through the Deerwood, Minn., property on June 19, crews that included some volunteers from the community cleaned up an estimated 200 trees. The resort itself was undamaged and the front nine was opened the following day.

Heavy rain and strong winds toppled hundreds of trees at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge in Deerwood, Minn., the Minneapolis, Minn., KARE 11 reported. 

Crews spent all day clearing away trees that covered parts of the resort’s golf course after strong storms blew threw Sunday night. They had a lot of work to accomplish as early estimates had at least 200 trees downed by the storm at the course, KARE 11 reported. 

“We just have to get the debris off and we’ll get back to it,” said golf pro Dave Sadlowsky.

By late Monday afternoon the front nine was already open, the back nine was expected to be open by Tuesday, KARE 11 reported. 

“We have everything from the uprooting like you can see here, to just plain snapping off half way up. One’s laying this way, one’s laying that way,” he said describing the damage to the trees.

Workers, some who volunteered from the community, helped clear away debris from playing areas on the course. Superintendent Joe Wollner said it could take months before everything is cleared, KARE 11 reported. 

“We got to take it a day at a time, ” said Wollner. “It’s going to be a process probably the next couple months. We’ll get the brush picked up and trees picked up. But the stems that are still standing, that will probably go into next fall.” 

Crews went hole-by-hole, clearing away debris. Sadlowsky said it looked like a weak tornado came through, but at this point it appears to be straight-line winds, KARE 11 reported. 

“We literally started going hole by hole in succession. So started with hole 1, then hole 2, and right now we’re wrapping up 4 and 5,” he said. “Our worst green was hole 8 where a pine tree actually got snapped off and landed on the green itself.”

But that was the only hole that was damaged, and even that was fairly minor. There was no damage to the resort, so it’s still open, and staff know how lucky they are, KARE 11 reported. 

“Nothing we can’t recover from. And just thankful no one was hurt in the process,” Sadlowsky said.