We catch up with Mike Davis in Las Vegas for a great putting tip to help improve your short game. Mike is recognized as one of the top instructors in the country, being chosen by GOLF Magazine for their prestigious Top 100 golf Instructor list and has been ranked the #2 instructor in Nevada since 2002 by Golf Digest. He has been chosen PGA Instructor of the Year thirteen times by PGA Chapters and four times by PGA Sections.
According to Mike Davis, the first step to getting the proper setup is to get the shaft square with your forearms and on the same plane. He also recommends facing the target line so that when you stroke through the ball, it is easy to follow the lowest point of the arc. He emphasizes that it is important to be comfortable and not to set up in an awkward or weird stance.
Mike Davis suggests rotating your shoulders around your neck and letting your arms and the club move back and forth from one side to the other. He recommends focusing on a symmetrical swing back and forth, as this will help the putter work on the correct part for whatever your setup is.
Mike Davis explains that there are three steps to developing feel. The first is focusing on correct motion or technique. He recommends taking golf balls out on the green and hitting them across the green with no target, focusing on what your body is doing.
The second step is developing feel. Davis suggests focusing on what the ball is doing and learning how to control energy. He recommends variable distance drills, looking where you want to go, taking a rehearsal swing, and feeling the amount of power you need to hit it.
The third step is aiming at a target with a goal-oriented drill. Davis suggests using balls at different distances from the hole, trying to hit each putt into the safe zone. He explains that if you can hit balls into the safe zone from about eight different distances, both uphill, downhill, and level putts, you know your putting is going to be really good.
You probably think I’m crazy if I told you to swing WITHOUT your hands, right?
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By following Mike Davis’ advice, golfers can improve their putting stroke and get the most out of their game. By focusing on correct motion or technique, developing feel, and aiming at a target with a goal-oriented drill, golfers can improve their putting and have more success on the green.
Mike Davis is an expert in the field of video instruction, having won an award for his research project: “The Efficacy of Using Video in Golf Instruction” from the World Scientific Congress of Golf, in St. Andrews, Scotland. Mike has written hundreds of articles for regional and national magazines over the past thirty years including Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine and numerous regional and local publications. He was the Director of Instruction for VegasGolfer Magazine for four years. In his 46 years as a golf professional, Mike has become an expert in teaching both the full swing and the short game.
A project Mike recently developed is an extensive multi-day training program for PGA Members and Apprentices in the art of golf instruction. He successfully launched the first program in the spring of 2009 in Las Vegas conducted regional training sessions in late 2009 to 2012.
His commitment to the PGA’s mission statement to: “grow the game and make golf a more enjoyable game” has led Mike to be involved as a leader in his PGA Chapter and Section. He has been a board member and officer for the Southern Nevada PGA since 2001 and was a leader in developing programs that benefited juniors and golfers in the area.
