I want to try out curling

February 23, 2006 12:52 PM

I'd like to find a novice-friendly place in the Windsor area (I'm in SE michigan) where I could try out curling. Preferably somewhere with a bar. Other tips for new curlers appreciated, too.
posted by yorick to sports, hobbies, & recreation (9 comments total)

The Detroit Curling Club is in Ferndale if you aren't dead-set on crossing the border to curl.
posted by revgeorge at 1:12 PM on February 23, 2006

I don't know anything about that area, but you might find that it's too late to learn to curl this year. It is for me here in Ottawa, best I can tell -- beginners' clinics are in late September and league play begins around the same time.
posted by mendel at 1:32 PM on February 23, 2006

I don't know of a place near you, but here in Rochester, NY, there's a curling club which had an open house last weekend.

I went in with a friend of mine and they showed us an ~8 minute video covering all the FAQs and some vocabulary, then took us down to the sheets to get a feel for what it's like to slide a 42-pound rock without falling over. We also got a chance to work our way down the ice, sweeping in front of a moving rock (the instructor was pushing it with his broom). It's more tiring than it looks!

VERY friendly folks, and (according to the video) a large emphasis on positive sportsmanship in curling. I figure it's one of the few team sports you can pick up as an adult and be any good at. The club here is only running for the next 5 weeks. I plan to get involved this October when the season starts up again.

So, bottom line, see if there's a club with an open house.
posted by Wild_Eep at 1:40 PM on February 23, 2006

we're trying to set up a MetaChat curling excursion in our area too (NYC).
posted by amberglow at 2:50 PM on February 23, 2006

Do you know anyone who curls? Most clubs will rent you a sheet of ice for a relatively small amount of money for a couple of hours (it's comparable to say, bowling, in terms of expense). If you have even one or two people who can show you the basics, a group could go out and play a short game just for fun.

Most clubs offer open houses a couple of times a year, as Wild_Eep mentions, and tons of them are doing them right now because the Olympics bring people in.

League play starts in September or October, generally, and a lot of clubs have started offering 8 week beginner leagues, as well as beginner workshops in that timeframe, as well.

Oh, and as to 'preferably somewhere with a bar', I'd be gobsmacked if you could find a curling rink anywhere without a bar. Even the two-sheeter in my home town (population: 275 on a good day) had a bar. The only thing curlers like to do more than curl is to drink.
posted by jacquilynne at 3:11 PM on February 23, 2006

Yorick, send me an email (through my profile). I have a group of friends who went curling here in SE Michigan, and I'll get ahold of 'em (I was bummed that they went without me).
posted by klangklangston at 3:30 PM on February 23, 2006

The Detroit Curling Club is having an open house this Sunday. Since it has a dress code that includes clean tennis shoes, it looks like they'll be letting people try.

I live nearby...I think I must go.
posted by QIbHom at 4:26 PM on February 23, 2006

I was a member of the Cape Cod Curling Club for a while. My advice for a beginner would be: Don't be afraid to drop your knee if you can't hold a deep lunge, and be careful with the foot that has the shoe with the teflon bottom...it's amazing how slippery it is and I noticed my foot had a tendency to slip sideways.

Have fun!
posted by nekton at 5:38 PM on February 23, 2006

An update on the Detroit Curling Club (in Ferndale). I went to their open house (there were hundreds more people than they were expecting). Very friendly bunch, I saw no signs of hard liquor, but there was a bar and kegs in the arena.

You can rent the rink and instructions if you've got more than 8 people. They also do 5 week intro classes.

Despite lines out the door when they opened, they were really nice, very organized and I had an absolute blast. I highly recommend going over there (they welcome drop ins, and will show you how to toss a rock before league play) some evening.
posted by QIbHom at 6:14 AM on February 27, 2006