Could have been a quirk of the several Cubs I flew (all glider towing and related flying). The Type was my first tailwheel and the instructor gave me a good going over (I had to start towing the next day). The first miss just about gave me heart failure .. the rotten sod had briefed me but then he just sat back laughing (while keeping a close eye on the proceedings).
Great machine for paddocks .. with the gliders, one had plenty of outfield paddock retrieves ... I recall one paddock where the only option, late in the afternoon, was into sun .. long grass and rocks, sheep, etc., make for eyes wide open on the flare and roll out.
I won't relate any other dreadful tales .. pleading the stupidity of youth .. but we collectively did the odd thing or two which probably we would choose not to do now .. can remember thinking that the chap who checked me out for paddock retrieves probably didn't need to do the steep turns under the canopy of a large tree ....
A couple of us, on wave camps in the mountains, would get all the birds launched and then wave soar in the Cubs for an hour or two for the fun of it ..
Towing two gliders to/from camps used to be fun ... .. I recall a couple of such trips where the gliders dropped into country airstrips (several times) rather than run the gauntlet of weather ...
The Blanik which pulled to high tow and off on a booming day at about 300 feet shortly after takeoff ... pity the student in the front seat didn't adhere to the "have a look at the tow rope going after you pull the bung and before you roll off" ... an interesting inverted view of the aerodrome surrounds .. lost the rope and managed to pull out of the departure above the trees .. but not much above ..
Wonderful machines for spot landings .. full slip into the flare ... with the occasional ring and last foot of the cable left on the boundary fence if one didn't judge the approach well ..
The stories can go on and on ...
Can't ever recall any problems with the heel brakes .. but, then again, they never worked all that well anyway.
Seriously, though, I heartily recommend glider towing to any of you who wish to polish up your flying .. nothing like a chap in back who wants a perfect tow in minimum time (=money) to give you unsoughtafter advice post flight on where you went wrong ...