| If you were asked for your opinion on how to set | | | | position of attention in which their left foot is moved |
| up your feet what would be your recommendation? | | | | laterally about 12 inches to shoulder-width. |
| Some pros putt with a wide stance reminiscent of a | | | | When you putt you need to be at ease. Placing your |
| giraffe drinking at the water hole. Others adopt a | | | | feet at shoulder-width as the military has done for |
| narrow stance with their feet close together. The | | | | hundreds of years make good sense. |
| majority, however, putt with their feet | | | | However, in putting there is a catch. Probably an |
| shoulder-width apart. | | | | adjustment is a better word. You don't want your |
| In deciding how to place you feet you could do no | | | | feet to angle outwards as they do in the full swing. |
| better than look to nature. Although nature didn't | | | | To putt consistently you want to avoid any lower |
| design us specifically to play golf, or to roll a ball along | | | | body movement. It is true that splaying your feet is |
| a flat surface, it gave us the ability to maintain our | | | | a more athletic position and a better platform for |
| balance. | | | | balance. However, it introduces the possibility of your |
| Golf would be impossible if we kept falling over. The | | | | lower body rotating or swaying during your putting |
| best width of stance for you is more than likely the | | | | stroke. And this is undesirable. |
| one that gives you the best balance. After all why | | | | The setup for the feet is to have your toes pointing |
| fight your natural instincts when there are so many | | | | forwards. This locks in your lower body. Some pros |
| other issues in putting? | | | | take this locking-in technique further by pointing their |
| The frequent advice 'Be Comfortable' needs to be | | | | toes slightly inwards. |
| qualified. Most of us have a habitual way of standing, | | | | Putting is personal. As long as you consistently pick |
| such as always placing the weight of our body | | | | the right line and speed and can aim accurately, you |
| through one leg. However, in our putting stance we | | | | will probably be a good putter. So why does having |
| want a more even distribution of weight. | | | | the correct width of stance important? |
| In the military there are different states of alert: | | | | The answer is that it all comes down to balance - |
| - At Full Attention soldiers stand with both heels | | | | being solid over the ball. Maintaining your balance is |
| touching each other and their toes pointed away at | | | | essential in all sports, and golf is no exception. |
| an angle of between 30- to 45-degrees. | | | | To appreciate the importance of good balance and a |
| - At Ease or Parade Rest they adopt a modified | | | | solid base, try putting on one leg. |