Etiquette, Roles and Rules

The etiquette, roles and rules of curling ensure that the game is played in a timely, orderly and fair manner.

Etiquette
Roles and Responsibilities
Rules

Etiquette

• Play games within time allowed – 8 ends in 2 hours (no end starts after 1 hour 50 minutes)
• Start the game at start time – have greetings and coin toss before game time (if game starts at 6:30, first rock should be thrown at 6:30)
• All games should run approximately the same time. Therefore, if your game is an end or two behind all other games you should pick up the pace. 
• Keep the ice clean. Change your shoes before you go on the ice and use the boot brush and sticky pads. Sand, grit and dirt are the ice’s worst enemy. 
• Start and finish each game with a greeting – a broom tap or fist/elbow bump and a “Good curling.” 
• Lead players should be ready to play as soon as the ice is ready/cleared and should NOT be clearing rocks from the previous end. Find your rock and get set up while everyone else finishes clearing the house.
• Don’t leave a hand or knee touching the ice after delivering the rock.  Stand up quickly or squat with only feet on the ice.  Heat from body parts melts the ice.
• Other than at the end of the game, rocks do not need to be put away in order. Simply putting the rocks neatly in the corners and not worrying about the number order saves a lot of time. (this one is hard for many people to let go of) Throwers - know your rock number!!! 
• If you are throwing next you may stand on the backboard, but remain quiet and out of sight of the opposition thrower. Take your position in the hack as soon as your opponent has delivered his/her rock.
• Once you’ve thrown your rock, move out of the way of the hack so your opponent can get ready to throw.
• After delivering your rock, move to the side of the sheet between the “hog” lines, unless you are the skip. Leads and seconds are not permitted in “house” or “rings”, except when sweeping or to remove the rocks after the count has been determined.
• Be prepared to sweep if necessary as soon as your teammate releases the rock. Rocks cannot be swept before the tee line.
• Place your skip’s rock in front of the hack to help speed up the game.
• Compliment good shots, no matter which team makes them. Respect your opponent.
• At the conclusion of an end, all players remain outside the rings until the thirds have agreed on the score.
• Be courteous. Don’t distract your opponent in the hack. Sweepers should stay on the sidelines between the hog lines when not sweeping.
  
  

Roles and Responsibilities 

Knowing your role keeps the game moving.

Skip 

• Be ready to call your shot
• Keep strategy discussions short

Third

• Join skip quickly after your second shot
• Keep strategy discussions short
• Confirm score quickly with opposing third after each end

Second

• Be ready to make your shot
• Stay out of the house except to collect rocks after end is scored
• Save strategy questions/ discussions until after the game.

Lead 

• Be ready to make your shot
• If your team is throwing first, get ready while the rocks are being collected after the end
• Get your skip’s rock ready while they’re discussing they’re shot
• Stay out of the house except to collect rocks after end is scored
• Save strategy questions/ discussions until after the game.
  
  

Important Rules for Play 

For the complete rules of curling, please visit Rules of Curling for General Play 2022-2026 
Please note that the ACC continues to use the four rock rule in club play.

Rocks

• A rock must finish inside the inner edge (closest to the rings) of the hog line to be in play, except when it has hit another rock in play.
• A rock that completely crosses the back line or touches the side board or side line is taken out of play.

Delivery

• Right-handed players deliver from the hack to the left of the centre line and left-handed players deliver from the hack to the right of the centre line. 
• The hand must be clearly off the handle before the rock completely (i.e. back edge) passes over the hog line.
• A rock that has not been released from the player’s hand may be returned to the hack and re-delivered as long as it has not reached the near tee line during delivery.

Sweeping

• Only one player from each team may sweep behind the tee line. Only the skip or third of the non-delivering team may sweep behind the tee line.
• An opposing team’s rock may only be swept behind the tee line.
• The delivering team has first right to sweep its rock behind the tee line, but shall not prevent the non-delivering team from doing so.
• Only the skip or third of the non-delivering team may sweep their rocks set in motion by the delivering team.
• The sweeping motion must be from side to side across the rock’s running surface and must not leave debris in front of a moving rock.
• All sweeping must take place no more than six feet in front of a rock in motion.

Touched Rocks

• Please see the Burnt Rock rules posted on the bulletin board in the lounge.
• A rock can be redelivered if it is re-touched by the hand after release, but before the delivery end hog line.
• If a rock in motion is touched by any player of the delivering team or his equipment before the far hog line, immediately remove it from play.

Measuring

• Measurements shall be taken from the button to the nearest part of the rock.
• No physical device may be used in measuring rocks until the last rock of the end has come to rest, except to determine if one of the first two rocks of an end is in the rings or the free guard zone.
• If there is any doubt between the two opposing skips as to whether one of the first two rocks of an end finishes in the free guard zone, then a measuring device may be used to decide the matter.

Equipment

• No player shall use any footwear or equipment that may damage the surface of the ice.