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.
The golf ball only knows one thing — the clubface at impact.
You can have perfect rotation, good tempo, even great rhythm, but if the face isn’t square at the right time, the ball won’t listen.
Kelvin’s research taught me that elite players don’t time the face at the last second.
They control it early — and keep it stable through impact.
What Clubface Control Really Means
Clubface control starts well before impact.
It begins in transition and is shaped by how the wrists, forearms, and body move together.
A stable release doesn’t mean holding the face off.
It means managing closure rate — how fast the clubface squares relative to the swing path.
If the closure rate is too fast, you could hit the golf ball with an open, square, or closed face depending on timing.
You’d need to rely heavily on rhythm and timing to stay consistent — a tough way to play under pressure.
If the closure rate is slow, you have more time to deliver the club and find the center.
Consistency improves because you’re not racing the clubface to the ball.
Elite players close the clubface early in the downswing, and do it gradually, not suddenly around impact.
By P6 (shaft parallel to the ground), the face is already slightly closed to the arc — stable, predictable, and ready to release.
What I Now Look For
1. Early closure, not last-second rescue.
The clubface should begin to square as the arms drop in transition.
This prevents panic flips or forced manipulations at impact.
2. Stable wrists = predictable face.
A quiet trail wrist and stable lead wrist keep closure rate consistent.
The less hand action, the more the body can rotate freely through impact.
3. Sequence supports control.
When the body unwinds in the right order — pelvis, torso, arms, club — the face travels on plane without wobble.
Clubface control is a result of proper sequencing, not a separate move.
Story From My Teaching
In the last lesson, Xander learned to start the downswing from the center instead of throwing with his hands.
This time, we focused on what the clubface was doing as that sequence unfolded.
At first, his clubface stayed open halfway down, so he flipped it closed near impact — a move that only worked when perfectly timed.
I showed him the P6 checkpoint:
“When the shaft is parallel to the ground, the clubface should be slightly closed, and the clubhead should trail just behind the hands.”
We worked on that for fifteen minutes.
Once he found the feel, everything synced.
He didn’t have to fight the clubface with his hands or body anymore — it was already in the right position.
His next shot flew straight and strong.
He smiled and said, “That felt easy.”
I told him, “That’s what square early feels like.”
[Photo Placeholders]
P6 position — clubface slightly closed
Impact — stable wrists and square face
Follow-through — stable rotation through ball
Side-by-side — early closure vs. flip closure
Closing Theme
Stable doesn’t mean still — it means predictable.
A square face early in the downswing lets the body rotate freely through impact.
Control the face, and the swing finally feels easy.
Call to Action
This is part of my How I Teach Golf (Inspired by Kelvin Miyahira) series.
Have you ever noticed how “square early” feels easier than trying to time it?
Share what changed in your swing when you learned that.
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.