Having the hammer is like holding a loaded cannon. You can aim anywhere, but one wrong move and you blow yourself up.
With the hammer, you usually want to control the end. You guard, you draw, you set traps. The other team tries to steal the hammer by making your last shot impossible.
If they succeed, they score without having the last rock. That’s called a steal. It’s the curling equivalent of pickpocketing your opponent’s wallet.
Learn To Curl: Hammer - SECC: South Of England Curling Club
When The Hammer Backfires
Here’s the brutal truth: the hammer isn’t magic. It’s a high-risk, high-reward toy.
Imagine you have the hammer in the final end. The game is tied. You need one point to win. Your heart is pounding. You slide your rock—and you miss by an inch. You blow it.
Suddenly, the hammer feels like a brick. A cold, heavy, disappointing brick. You hand your opponent the win. Ouch.
