How I Teach Golf (Inspired by Kelvin Miyahira) is a 12-part series on MyJLStory.com. Each post shares one of my personal takeaways from studying Kelvin’s biomechanical framework and refining it through years of teaching. These are not a direct representation of Kelvin’s teaching — they are my interpretations, shaped by my own experience and mistakes. Start here, then follow the series for a full picture.
Most golfers treat the short game like a separate skill — a smaller version of golf that runs on feel and touch.
But Kelvin’s framework showed me that the same body principles apply, just in smaller motions.
Rotation, structure, and awareness still drive everything.
A good wedge swing isn’t a hand swing — it’s a body-driven release scaled down.
The Same Engine, Just a Smaller Range
When I teach chipping or pitching, I look for the same elements we build in the full swing:
- Stable spine and rotation — even short shots need torso rotation, not wrist flips.
- Lead wrist stability — flat to slightly flexed, keeping the clubface square and low through impact.
- Drive and hold release — let the chest and arms move together through the shot, not separately.
The biggest difference between the short game and the full swing is setup.
For short shots, the spine should be neutral, not tilted away from the target.
For most players, that feels like leaning slightly toward the target — but it’s actually neutral.
This neutral spine allows for rotation without digging or flipping, keeping the strike shallow and clean.
The most common mistake I see is golfers setting up like a full swing — tilted too much away from the target — and then trying to “help” the ball up.
That setup adds loft, removes compression, and destroys control.
When you rotate through and keep structure, the ball launches lower, spins higher, and reacts predictably.
What I Now Look For
1. Body controls the club, not hands.
Every small pitch or chip is powered by the same sequencing — torso, arms, then club.
The wrists stay passive until after impact.
2. Awareness of first bounce.
This concept came directly from a short-game drill I learned working with Japanese LPGA players.
They focused not on where the ball landed, but on how the first bounce reacted.
That awareness teaches you to control spin and rollout.
3. Consistency from structure, not feel.
The short game has plenty of “touch,” but touch comes from repeating the same geometry.
If your structure changes every time, your feel never develops.
Story From My Teaching
One of the Japanese LPGA players I worked with years ago had great rhythm but struggled inside 60 yards.
Her shots launched too high and stopped inconsistently.
We laid a towel 40 yards away and made that her landing target.
At first, she focused only on distance — carry, spin, trajectory.
Then I told her, “Watch how the first bounce reacts.”
Once she started noticing the first bounce, everything changed.
She adjusted her landing height, trajectory, and spin through small body changes — not hand tricks.
Her accuracy improved instantly.
The short game became less about “guessing” and more about awareness.
[Photo Placeholders]
Chip setup — neutral spine and structure
Impact — flat lead wrist, low exit
Landing drill — towel target and first-bounce focus
Before-and-after — inconsistent vs. controlled trajectory
Closing Theme
The short game isn’t about soft hands.
It’s about structured movement, stable release, and clear awareness.
The only real difference from the full swing is setup — keep the spine neutral, not tilted away, and let rotation do the work.
Call to Action
This is part of my How I Teach Golf (Inspired by Kelvin Miyahira) series.
Have you ever tried adjusting your spine angle in the short game?
Share what changed in your contact and consistency — I’d love to hear it.
Editor’s Note
We’re still gathering the right swing photos and visuals for this series. Placeholders mark where they’ll go — thanks for your patience as we complete this resource.