Last weekend at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club’s West Course, 24-year-old Miyu Yamashita delivered a masterclass in precision golf. Every male golfer chasing distance over accuracy should take notes. The Japanese star captured her second career LPGA title at the Maybank Championship with a stunning final-round 65 (-7), climbing through a congested leaderboard to force a three-way playoff before sealing victory with a birdie on the first extra hole.
What makes Yamashita’s victory particularly instructive isn’t just that she won. It’s how. On a Par 72 course measuring 6,536 yards, Yamashita’s week-long driving distance averaged just 235 yards. Yet she demolished the field with surgical precision: 89% fairways hit for the week, 78% greens in regulation, and an average of just 27.75 putts per round. Her final round was even more impressive: 86% fairways, 89% greens in regulation, and only 27 putts.
Gentlemen, it’s time for an intervention. While you’re launching your driver 280 yards into the trees and scrambling for bogey, the world’s best female golfers are proving that accuracy trumps distance every single time. Here are four ego-busting lessons from Yamashita’s victory that will transform your game.
Tip #1: Prioritize Fairways Over Ego-Boosting Distance
The Tip: Tee off with whatever club consistently puts you in the fairway, even if that means leaving the driver in the bag on most holes.
Why It Works: Yamashita hit 50 of 56 fairways (89%) during the tournament week. This exceptional accuracy set up every subsequent shot, allowing her to attack pins from the short grass rather than scrambling from trouble. Control the hole from the fairway. Let the hole control you from the rough, trees, or hazards. The math is simple. A 220-yard drive in the fairway beats a 270-yard drive in the rough every single time.
Action Item: For your next three rounds, track your fairways hit percentage. On any hole where you’ve missed the fairway more than once in recent rounds, switch to a 3-wood, hybrid, or even a long iron off the tee. Your ego might take a hit when your playing partners outdrive you by 40 yards, but your scorecard will thank you when you’re marking down pars while they’re writing down sixes.
Tip #2: Build Your Round Around Greens in Regulation
The Tip: Make hitting greens in regulation your primary statistical goal. Plan every approach shot with the center of the green as your target.
Why It Works: Yamashita hit 56 of 72 greens in regulation (78%) for the week. In her final round? An astounding 16 of 18 (89%). This consistency separates champions from also-rans. When you’re putting for birdie instead of chipping for par, you eliminate big numbers and create scoring opportunities. Notice that Yamashita averaged fewer than 28 putts per round. That’s the luxury of consistently having two putts for par rather than scrambling to save bogey.
Action Item: Stop aiming at pins tucked behind bunkers or near water hazards. For the next month, aim every approach shot at the center of the green, regardless of pin position. Yes, you’ll have some longer birdie putts. But you’ll also eliminate the short-sided chips, bunker shots, and penalty strokes that balloon your scores. Track your GIR percentage and watch it climb as your scores drop.
Tip #3: Accept That You Don’t Hit It as Far as You Think
The Tip: Get honest about your actual carry distances with every club, then club up on every approach shot.
Why It Works: Yamashita’s 235-yard average driving distance would be considered short by male amateur standards. Yet she won against a world-class field on a course measuring over 6,500 yards. How? She knew exactly how far she hit every club and never left herself short. Most male golfers overestimate their distances by 10-20 yards per club. This leads to short approaches, difficult up-and-downs, and frustration. The world’s best female golfers succeed because they know their numbers and trust them.
Action Item: Book a session at a launch monitor or driving range with accurate yardage markers. Hit ten shots with each club and record the average carry distance (not the one best shot). Write these numbers on a card and keep it in your bag. Then, for every approach shot, add one extra club to whatever your ego tells you to hit. If you think it’s a 7-iron, hit a 6-iron. You’ll be shocked how many more greens you hit when you finally reach them.
Tip #4: Master the Short Game Through Repetition, Not Power
The Tip: Spend 60% of your practice time within 100 yards of the green. Focus on touch and feel rather than technique and power.
Why It Works: Yamashita’s 3-for-4 sand saves (75%) and consistent putting (27.75 putts per round average) demonstrate that elite golf is won around the greens. When you inevitably miss greens (even Yamashita missed 22% of them), your ability to get up and down determines whether you shoot 75 or 85. The best female golfers in the world don’t overpower their short game. They finesse it through countless hours of practice and an intimate understanding of how the ball reacts to different lies, trajectories, and spin rates.
Action Item: Restructure your practice sessions immediately. If you currently spend an hour at the range, spend 20 minutes on full shots and 40 minutes on pitching, chipping, bunker play, and putting. Create games and challenges: try to get up and down from ten different spots around the practice green. Hole three consecutive putts from six feet before you leave. This isn’t glamorous practice, but it’s what separates good golfers from great ones.
The Bottom Line
Miyu Yamashita’s victory at the Maybank Championship wasn’t a fluke. It was a blueprint. At just 24 years old and in her first full season on the LPGA Tour, she’s already won two titles, including a major championship. She did it by embracing accuracy, consistency, and smart course management over raw power.
The lesson for male golfers is clear. Drop the ego, embrace precision, and watch your handicap plummet. You don’t need to hit it 300 yards to shoot in the 70s. You need to hit fairways, greens, and smart shots. The world’s best female golfers prove it every single week.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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