A little less guessing. A little more curling.
Granite’s Curling
Troubleshooter
What’s happening on your sheet?
Pick a problem. Check a few possibilities. Try one small drill.
No rebuilding your entire delivery between ends.
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WeightMy draws keep going too far
“Before you rebuild your delivery, check whether the ice has changed.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Agree the intended finish: front, middle or back of the house? “Draw weight” alone may not be specific enough.
- Compare recent shots on the same path and turn. Faster ice or a different path can change the finish.
- Keep your familiar delivery and release; adjust one weight cue, not several things at once.
Try one small drill
Same-path six: deliver six draws with the same turn and intended finish. Have a teammate record short / on target / long and any sweeping. Make one small adjustment, then compare the pattern.
WeightMy draws keep coming up short
“A short stone is information, not a character flaw.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Confirm the target and compare the same path with earlier stones. Slower ice may need a different delivery effort.
- Ask what the sweepers saw early, not just where the stone stopped.
- Check whether your routine and release felt familiar. Have a coach observe persistent inconsistency rather than guessing a mechanical fix.
Try one small drill
Distance ladder: with a clear sheet and a partner watching, deliver to three agreed zones from nearer to farther. Use your usual delivery method. Repeat the ladder and compare finishes, not just effort.
Line & releaseI keep missing the broom
“Let’s separate where it started from where it finished.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Confirm the broom, turn and weight before delivering.
- Ask the person holding the broom whether the stone started on the intended line. A finishing miss can also come from weight, ice or release.
- Use a coach or teammate’s observation to find a repeated pattern; do not overhaul your technique after one miss.
Try one small drill
Start-line check: choose an open path and deliver six comfortable draws. A teammate at the target records whether each stone began left, on or right of the agreed line, then records the finish separately. Compare patterns together.
Ice & planningThe stone curls more—or less—than I expect
“Same broom does not always mean the same journey.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Compare weight, turn and path before comparing finishes. A hit and a draw do not follow the same path.
- Notice whether several well-delivered stones show the same change. One odd stone is not enough to map the sheet.
- Share observations with your skip and sweepers so the next call uses the same information.
Try one small drill
Two-path notebook: repeat a comfortable draw on two clear paths, using the same turn. Record broom, intended weight, sweeping and finish. Discuss a pattern only after several comparable shots.
Line & releaseMy release feels different every time
“One familiar cue is more useful than six new instructions.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Check the shot, turn and target before starting your normal routine.
- Notice whether the inconsistency happens on one turn or at one weight.
- Ask a qualified coach to watch your release in your own delivery style—slide, stick or wheelchair. A written picker cannot see the cause.
Try one small drill
One-cue practice: choose one comfortable cue with your coach. Deliver six unhurried draws, alternating turns. After each, say whether you followed the cue and record the finish separately. Stop if the movement is painful or unsafe.
HitsMy hit removes theirs, but mine rolls away
“A hit and a hit-and-stay are different jobs. Let’s name the job first.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Agree where the shooter should finish, not only which stone must leave.
- Review contact point and weight together. Off-centre contact can create a roll; weight and angle affect the outcome.
- Check whether the broom and turn matched the intended contact. Avoid changing only weight when the contact was different.
Try one small drill
Hit-and-stay pairs: reset one target stone in the house. Deliver two comfortable takeouts at an agreed weight, with the same intended contact and shooter finish. Record contact and finish separately, then reset and repeat.
WeightWe mean different things by “normal” hit weight
““Normal” is not a universal speed setting.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Agree your team’s weight names before the shot.
- Ask the thrower which comfortable weight they can repeat with their delivery method.
- Keep the target and intended shooter finish clear. A stopwatch can support your team’s shared language, not replace the result.
Try one small drill
Team weight ladder: agree two or three controllable takeout weights. Use the same target and compare contact, removal and shooter finish. Record your own team’s names; no need to chase someone else’s fastest weight.
Sweeping & teamworkWe cannot judge draw weight early enough
“Give me an early estimate. You’re allowed to update it.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Agree finish zones or a simple shared scale before playing.
- Give an early estimate, then keep watching and update it as the stone travels.
- If you time stones, compare your own consistent timing points, releases and current ice. A split time is an estimate, not a guaranteed finish.
Try one small drill
Call, update, compare: on six practice draws, sweepers call an early finish estimate and a later update. A teammate records the actual finish and sweeping used. Compare the estimates without scoring anyone’s worth as a curler.
Sweeping & teamworkEveryone shouts—and nobody knows what to do
“Louder is not always clearer. Sweep has tested this thoroughly.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Agree who communicates weight and who calls line. Repeat the shot plan before delivery.
- Use short words everyone understands; clarify what “yes,” “hard” and “off” mean to your team.
- Keep useful updates coming. Separate an uncertain estimate from a certain instruction.
Try one small drill
Communication-only end: use six draws and rotate roles. Say the target and weight before each shot; give an early weight estimate, an update and a clear line call. Debrief clarity separately from the final position.
Sweeping & teamworkSweeping is not rescuing the shot
“A broom helps. It is not a remote control.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Discuss the goal: distance, line or both. Tell each other what is changing.
- Sweeping cannot guarantee a rescue. Weight, path, timing and technique all matter.
- Practise safe movement and effective brushing with an instructor. Follow the equipment and sweeping rules for your club or event; do not try to brake a stone.
Try one small drill
Compare two pairs: on a clear practice path, deliver four similar draws with the same turn and target. Leave the first of each pair unswept and sweep the second with a stated goal. Record differences, but remember the deliveries will not be identical.
Ice & planningA small miss leaves us in big trouble
“Before the perfect shot, find the miss you can live with.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Identify the main danger: open scoring area, a runback, a guard left in the wrong place or a heavy draw.
- Agree an acceptable miss for this particular situation. There is no always-safe side.
- Choose a shot and weight your team can reasonably make; separate a sensible call from an imperfect result.
Try one small drill
Useful-miss round: set one simple situation. Before each of six shots, name the ideal finish and an acceptable miss. Afterwards assess the plan first, then the execution. Change the scenario and discuss why the acceptable miss changes.
Routine & confidenceOne bad shot follows me into the next one
“Keep the lesson. Leave the luggage.”— Granite
Possible causes & quick checks
- Describe what happened without labelling yourself: “That one was heavy” rather than “I’m terrible.”
- Take one useful observation from the shot and agree your next job.
- Return to your familiar pre-shot routine. Save a full technical review for practice rather than carrying it into every delivery.
Try one small drill
Next-shot reset: practise six shots. After each, name one observation, take a comfortable breath and say the next target and one familiar cue. Score whether you used the routine—not whether all six shots were perfect.
Coaching sources & further reading
The checks draw on the coaching principles below. The short practice activities are HouseCall adaptations, not guaranteed fixes. Older manuals explain fundamentals; use current club or event rules.
- Curling Canada / World Curling: Discover Curling manual (PDF) — delivery, stick delivery, weight judgement, brushing and teamwork.
- Curling Canada: Weight Judgement lesson (PDF) — estimating and updating the expected finish.
- World Curling: Sweeping Technique Policy — current competitive guidance; sweeping can affect distance and curl, but slowing techniques are prohibited.
Sources checked October 26, 2026. Linked organisations do not endorse this tool.
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