what does hammer mean in curling

In curling, the hammer means having the last stone of the end, which is a big strategic advantage.

Quick definition

• The hammer = last shot in a given end.

• The team with the hammer throws second and delivers the final stone after seeing where all other stones end up.

• Because of that, they can often:
  • Score multiple points more easily
  • Or make a precise shot to prevent the opponent from scoring.

Why it matters

• Teams with the hammer usually aim to score at least two points in that end.

• The team without the hammer tries to:
  • “Steal” a point (score without the hammer), or
  • Force the hammer team to just one point.

• Strategically, who has the hammer influences shot selection, rock placement, and overall game plan in every end.

How a team gets the hammer

• At the start of a game, the hammer is normally decided by a Last Stone Draw (LSD) : each team throws stones toward the button, and the closer average gets the hammer.

• After that:
  • The team that does not score in an end gets the hammer in the next one.

* If an end is blank (no stones in the house score), the same team keeps the hammer.

So when commentators say “they’ve got the hammer,” it simply means that team will throw the last rock of the end, giving them the key tactical edge on that round.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.