The best advice I ever received about curling was simple but powerful: practice like you play. Don’t just toss rocks—throw shots with game-level intensity. This mindset transformed my training approach, and today I want to share my favorite practice drill that I use in almost every session.
I call it the “Home Base Drill,” and it’s designed to sharpen your weight control while teaching you to think strategically about tolerance—what’s your acceptable Plan B when you can’t make the perfect shot? This drill also introduces pressure, helping you perform those crucial draws when everything’s on the line.
How the Home Base Drill Works
The concept is straightforward: throw four shots down the same path with the same turn, alternating between tolerances that are slightly light and slightly heavy. If you make the shot perfectly, you earn two points. If you miss but stay within the tolerance, you get one point.
Here’s the shot sequence:
- Draw to the forefoot – Score two points for landing anywhere in the top of the house. Tolerance is light: score one point if you’re short of the rings but within a broom’s length.
- Back house draw – Score two points for landing between the tee line and back line. Tolerance is heavy: score one point if you’re between the back line and the hack.
- Tight guard – Score two points for placing a guard within a broom’s length of the house without touching the rings. Tolerance is high: score one point if your guard is at least a broom’s length from the hog line.
- Return to forefoot – Score two points for landing in the top of the house again. Tolerance is heavy this time: score one point for landing in the back of the rings.
After completing all four shots with one turn, repeat the entire sequence with the opposite turn for a total of eight shots and a maximum possible score of 16 points.
Why This Drill Is So Effective
The third shot—the tight guard—is surprisingly challenging despite having a generous scoring area. You’re trying to get so close to the rings that even a slight overswept stone that touches the paint means zero points. This mirrors game situations where precision matters.
What makes this drill particularly valuable is how it forces you to think about tolerance. In real games, understanding your Plan B can be the difference between a strategic miss and a disastrous one. Every shot has a “pro side miss”—a way to miss that still gives your team an advantage.
The best way to score well on this drill is to make sure you at least always hit the tolerance. Avoid any zeros. Just like in any game.
Making Practice Competitive
I recommend tracking your scores over time to measure your improvement throughout the season. This drill also creates a perfect opportunity for friendly competition with teammates. There’s nothing like a little competitive pressure to simulate game conditions!
The beauty of this drill is its simplicity. You don’t need special equipment or multiple people—just a sheet of ice, eight rocks, and a broom to measure distances. Yet it develops multiple skills simultaneously:
- Weight control across different parts of the sheet
- Strategic thinking about tolerances
- Performance under pressure
- Consistency with both turning directions
I’ve found that players who regularly practice this drill develop a much better feel for weight control and become more adaptable when faced with challenging game situations.
Try incorporating the Home Base Drill into your regular practice routine. The first few attempts might be humbling—many curlers struggle to break 10 points initially. But stick with it, and you’ll see your consistency improve dramatically. Your teammates will notice the difference when you’re consistently making those pressure draws in the late ends of tight games.
What’s your go-to practice drill? Have you tried something similar to the Home Base Drill? I’d love to hear about your experiences and what works for you. And if you give this drill a try, let me know your score—maybe we can have that friendly competition after all!
