Not your average curling manual

Doug Wilson, a Canadian who has lived in Scotland for over 30 years, only started curling at age 30.

Now, the author of most Strategy columns here at The Curling News has moved from digital pages—here and at his Daily Curling Puzzle Facebook group—to the printed page, via the new curling strategy book What’s Your Call?

The book is a partnership between Wilson and Calgary high-performance curling skip Mickey Pendergast, who started interacting with Wilson and the online group early on.

Wilson first created the Facebook page, and eventually the book, by trying to crowdsource a curling brain.

“I came late to the sport,” said Wilson. “Others had learned decades of strategy by osmosis while I had to start fresh. I needed to learn, and fast. 

“I took coaching courses, but they didn’t help much with strategy. I watched hundreds of hours of pros curling on TV and YouTube ... it was entertaining, but the commentators talked over my head.

“Now we have 16,000 curling people in our group, with more than 300 puzzles published, and plenty of arguments ongoing. It’s great.”

Wilson reports that more than 500 copies of What’s Your Call? have been snapped up to date.

The format matches that of the online group and The Curling News Strategy columns. A scenario is outlined, shown by diagram and/or photo, and the reader gets to make their call. The real life shot is revealed by scanning a QR code and the reader views the game video posted by Curling Canada or the World Curling Federation.

Wilson then quizzes Pendergast—about what’s really going on, and the tactics behind the actual skip’s call. The aim is to distill some fundamentals and principles that readers can use in their own games, whatever their level of play.

“My hope is that those who use this book will also gain the insight and confidence to call a better game,” said Pendergast, a two-time Canadian Masters champion. “If you work through the puzzles and reflect on the discussions, I’m sure you’ll start to see the patterns in play that the pros use and will start to create the type of ends you want.

“That can only lead to winning a few more games at whatever level you play, or aspire to play, in this crazy game of ours.”

What’s Your Call?, Curling Strategy & Tactics in 50 Real-Life Puzzles, is available on Amazon.