GREG DAVIES became assistant pro at South Cerney Golf Club this week, working with the man he credits for putting his golf game back on track, Tom Motley.

Davies gained his first win as a professional last week on the Dorset & Wilts PGA circuit at Sherborne GC and now has a five-year plan to break on to the European Tour.

The first small step would to win the Race To Bowood PGA winter series final in March, for which he qualified with a round that included five birdies at Sherborne.

“I made only one mistake – one had bad tee shot – but I got away with a bogey," said Davies.

“The final at Bowood is just one medal round. I know and like the course – I played it only last week and shot a couple under. I’m feeling really good about my game at the moment.”

Davies won the club championships at both Ogbourne Downs GC and The Wiltshire in 2012 and turned pro in 2016 – he’s only 22 now. But he freely admits that his golfing career had stalled until teaming up with Motley.

“Fellow pro Dan Carter tipped me off about Tom but I had heard good things about him anyway,” said Greg.

“I had my first lesson with him in November 2015 – I went in with a lot of problems. Within 15 minutes Tom put me back on track – I felt the impact straight away.

“He steadied the ship and has got me playing the game, not just whacking the ball. It took me the best part of six months’ hard work to feel good about my game and start to shoot good scores again.

“Tom has made a massive difference not just in how I strike the ball but also the mental side of the game, controlling my emotions and keeping a level head on every shot.

“Now I am getting some good results the immediate ambitions are to do well in the Race To Bowood and to play in some Jamega Tour events this year. I also want to enter the Open qualifying tournament.

“In the next five years I would love to get on the European Tour. Of course, it is going to be very difficult but you have to believe.”

Coach Motley believes Davies has the talent and the work ethic to keep improving.

"Greg is a powerful golfer who hits it a country mile,” said Motley. “Like a lot of young pros he could always hit four or five birdies a round but limiting the bogeys is the key.

“He used to stand there and lash it without any strategy – now he is learning how to move the ball around the course.

“He has really benefited from my elite coaching days when my good players play and practice together.

“Bashing 50 six irons on the range bears no relation to the game because golf is messy and unrepeatable. You don’t get three chances on the first tee so we concentrate on a lot of one-ball work.

“Money is the only thing that makes these young lads focus so they put up various £25 and £50 pots in an 18-hole round.

“If they miss the fairway we will penalise them 25 yards; if they miss the green their partners will put their ball in a crap lie.

“And they can’t claim any of the money pots unless they birdie the last.

“Greg has come so far over the last two years and it is amazing what good results can do for a player.

“He really enjoys coaching and he will concentrate on the kids, ladies and the Get Into Golf initiative. He will be a very good asset to the team."

For a man who hankers to travel the world playing golf, Davies has not ventured far from home.

He married Lauren in the autumn and lives in Royal Wootton Bassett about a mile down the road from where he grew up.

He’s hoping to become something of a Pied Piper at South Cerney.

“There is a shortage of youngsters coming to golf but I want to get as many as I can up there and playing at South Cerney, and we will make it fun and exciting,” he said.

“I will soon be visiting local schools to deliver free golf lessons and start a junior programme.

“I played six different sports as a kid – there are so many distractions these days. My brother Tom played 2nd XI cricket for Gloucestershire and I was in the Wilts county cricket team from the age of 11 to 16. Now my focus is totally on golf."

Greg Davies is a young man in a hurry to carve a unique niche in golf – and not just as the only left-handed professional in Wiltshire.