Just how good a golfer is John Betland?
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Many feel he’s the best ever to play out of the Forbes Golf Club. All will agree he is good, real good.
John's recent run of success is testament to his outstanding golf talents: he is yet to be beaten off the stick (scratch) in the past five weeks.
One of his best ever wins came two weeks ago in the City Of Sydney Amateur International at Moore Park over 36 holes.
With a score of seven under par John ran out a three shot winner over the best players from across the metropolitan area as well as leading country golfers, while overseas players made up the elite field.
Earlier John won the Parkes Open in a three hole play off over Orange Duntryleague's Robert Payne, highly rated in country golf.
He followed that win with an 11 shot win at the Canowindra Open and followed up with a winning scratch score last Saturday here in Forbes.
Under par golf is part of life for John and last weekend was no exception: two under par 34 on the front nine followed by four under par 32 on the long and difficult back nine holes.
This weekend John will be hoping to carry his recent run of form and success into the first two rounds of the Forbes Golf Club championships – 72 holes to be played over the next two weekends.
He already has 13 local titles to his credit, the first when he was just 14.
But there are a few who will be out to lower the colours of the high flying John Betland with his older brother Steve, the defending champion, leading the charge.
Steve Betland has the power and finesse from tee to green to match his younger sidling but it is John's ability to get the ball into the hole from seemingly impossible positions on the fairways, then putting, which sets him apart from his brother.
Their handicaps of, John plus 3, Steve plus 1, is testament to their golfing prowess.
Others hoping to make life uncomfortable for the Betland brothers include Peter Dawson, (handicap 3), Shane Sallaway (3), Daniel Bayley (5) and former club champion Mark Collits (5) keen to see their name on the champions board.
“I rate the win in Sydney a couple of weeks ago amongst the best I've had, but there are few others I'm pretty proud to say I've won,” John said this week.
“I'm hitting the ball pretty well at the moment and with our greens in near perfect condition I'm feeling confident with my putts.
“But you never take things for granted in golf, if you do it can bite you pretty hard.
“There are a few handy players in our club, and my brother Steve is one of then so the next two weeks will be interesting,” John said.
Major events continue after the competition of the club championships with the staging of the $5500 Nissan Classic on the weekend of November 11 and 12.
The following weekend John Betland will be playing the NSW Open (professional) at Twin Creek Country Club in Western Sydney.
“It's getting a bit busy so it's good to be in a bit of form at this time of the year,” John said.
“The classic is always a good tournament as we get some handy players here for that and to qualify for the NSW Open after qualifying here with a play-off over Hayden Gulliver from Maitland will be a good way to end a hectic few weeks.”
Nominations in all grades for the Nissan Classic are now being accepted at the Forbes Golf Club Pro Shop, phone 68511554.