Club Rules

House Rules For The Bozeman Curling Club:

Bring separate shoes for curling. Change shoes prior to entering the ice to keep ice clean. Salt and dirt will track onto ice, changing the conditions of the ice.
Everyone should help bring stones onto ice before games and return them to the storage locker when the session is finished. Do not remove hacks with water until all of the sheets have finished play and all the rocks have been removed from the ice.

There is a 99-minute time limit for each match. If you have less than 15 minutes left in the 99-minute game, you cannot start a new end.

Teams consist of 4 to 6 members, each throwing 2 stones, in the order you set. The 4 players who start the end must remain the same position throughout the end. In the event where a team is playing with only three players, the lead and second will deliver 3 stones each per end and the skip will deliver 2 each end.

You may substitute players in between each end, if your team so chooses. Players must be rotated in the following manner: Any new player may enter the game at the start of any end but can only enter the game in the lead (first) position. Each other player can rotate up one position if they choose, but can only ascend to the Skip position by moving up and through each of the other positions.

Begin by flipping a coin, this is done by the Third (or Vice-Skip), and the opponent Third (Vice-Skip) will call it in the air. Whoever wins, decides if they want Hammer or not. (Hammer means you throw the last stone on the first end. Then the other skip picks which set of rocks to throw. (Color)

Introduce yourselves to the other team, shake hands and say “Good Curling” to each other.

Non-hammer team throws the first stone. Seconds and Vice-Skip sweep for the lead. When player lets go of the stone, other team should begin setting up the stone for their turn. When the stone motion stops, sweepers move to the side and stay between the Hog lines and try to not distract other players. Skip leaves the house and stands behind the hack as other skip takes over the house.

The Bozeman Curling Club plays with the free guard rule in accordance with USA Curling standards.. Until five stones have been played (three non-hammer and two from hammer), stones in the free guard zone (the area between the hog and tee lines, excluding the house) may not be knocked out of play by an opponent’s stone. These are known as guard rocks. If the guard rocks are removed, they are replaced to where they were before the shot was thrown, and the opponent’s stone is removed from play and cannot be replayed. This rule is known as the five-rock rule or the free guard zone rule.

Always compliment good shots, by raising your brooms. Never comment on an errant stone.

If at the end of 6 ends the score is tied, the skips that skipped the last end played will each throw one stone and the winner will be determined by which stone is closer to the button and is still in play between the Hog Line and the End Line. If both stones end up out of play, the skips will deliver another stone each to complete the match and determine the winning team. The team that scored the most recent point in the match will throw first. The vice-skip will skip for each team, sweeping is allowed, however the vice skip may not sweep the opponents stone if it passes the T line. This is known as a Shootout or a Draw to the Button.

Unless specified in the Bozeman Curling Club House Rules, games will be governed by the rules set forth in the USA Curling guidelines. A copy of the guidelines can be found here.

All rules stated and posted by the rink are to be followed.

NEW CURLERS ARE CAUTIONED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHILE MOVING OR STANDING ON THE ICE!

For newer curlers, sliders should only be worn when delivering or waiting to deliver a stone.
Step on to the ice with your “gripper” shoe first and be careful! Never use your slider foot for your first step on the ice.
Sliders should be removed (or covered with a gripper for curling shoes) after a player’s turn to deliver is over or when one is leaving the ice.
Never stop a rock with your hand. Your fingers can be crushed, especially if the rock hits another rock while you are trying to stop it! Never use your feet to stop a rock as you can lose your balance and fall. Use a broom or brush to stop a rock.
Always carry a broom or brush with the broom head down, which you can use to avoid or break a fall in case you lose your balance.
While sweeping, if you can’t keep up with a fast shot, back off. Don’t risk a fall on the ice.
Before you step on the ice, take note of the ice conditions. Sometimes the ice is wet from the cleaning and will be more slippery than normal.
Never go on the ice when your balance is impaired from sickness, medication or alcohol.

For More Information On Curling:

Read a book on the basics of curling.
- Curling for Dummies by Bob Weeks.
Visit an Internet site designed to teach the basics of curling.
- CurlTech’s The Curling School at http://www.curlingschool.com/. In particular, new curlers should review the following sections: “Overview of curling”. “The Delivery by CurlTech,” “Sweeping,” and “Appendix A: Curling Terms & Lingo.”
- Two Minute Guide to the Sport of Curling.

GOOD CURLING!