The following league rules apply to all of our leagues and have been crafted and fine-tuned by our Rules Committee. There is an obvious clear advantage to having the same rules apply to all; we only need to follow one set. Please have a look and become familiar with them. For a few leagues, they are a bit different than those in use in the past. If you have input that you wish to have taken into consideration, or have questions, please contact our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
HUNTLEY CURLING CLUB – LEAGUE RULES
Amended May 17, 2025 [Changes from previous version displayed highlighted in this format.]
(A) Application:
1. These Rules apply to all season-long curling Leagues within Huntley Curling Club, with the exception of Stick and Come&Curl leagues.
2. Periodic revisions to these Rules may be issued by the Match Director only, subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
(B) General:
1. The most recent Rules for General Play issued by the Canadian Curling Association and Curl Ontario will apply, except as indicated below.
2. The 5-rock Free Guard Zone will apply to all leagues, except for Doubles leagues where the Modified 3-rock FGZ applies.
3. The “no-tick” rule is not currently part of our club curling rules.
4. Hair brooms and corn brooms are not permitted for sweeping however they may be used as sliding devices for stone delivery. Currently there are no other broom restrictions.
5. Play will normally be divided into Regular Season, League Playoffs and Club Championships, as shown below, with various Rules applying to each period.
a. Regular Season – one or more sets of Round Robin or Ladder draws at various Division levels, with points accumulated for League Playoff ranking.
b. League Playoffs – a final series of draws divided into various ranked Divisions, designed to determine League Champions, who may then participate in the Club Championships in each Division.
c. Club Championships – a short series of draws between Champions from each Division in each League, designed to select the Club Champion team for each Division.
(C) Regular season:
1. Regulation play is to be a maximum of 8 ends, subject to the time limitations below.
2. All matches will be subject to time limits: after 100 minutes from the scheduled start time the teams may not start another end.
a. This time limitation applies from the scheduled start time of each draw whether any match starts prior to or later than the scheduled start time.
b. This time limitation applies to all sheets whether another match follows or not.
3. The on-ice clock at the lounge end is the official time clock. The completion of an end is measured as the time at which the score of the end has been determined.
4. Regular team members arriving after a match begins (whether it begins early or not), are permitted to join the match and take their normal place, displacing a Spare if that is applicable.
5. Ties are permitted during regular season play.
6. Teams will flip (any version) for choice of last rock or rock colour, for every match.
7. Spares may be selected from any available HCC member, and may play on any team, subject to the format rules for that League.
8. Learn-to-Curl participants in a particular season are considered members for that season, with respect to Sparing.
9. Non-HCC members may Spare at HCC for a maximum of 3 times per season, and may play in any position on any team, subject to the format rules for that League.
10. Spares must throw in the position of the person they are replacing, or earlier in the rotation. A person’s position is defined as their throwing position.
11. For 4-person team play, a maximum of three Spares are permitted for any match, but there must be one regular team member playing as well.
12. For 2-person team play, two Spares are permitted for any match.
13. A 5th player on a team is considered as a Spare unless they have registered and paid the applicable fees as a full member in that league.
(D) League Playoffs:
All rules listed for Regular Season will apply for Playoffs, except as follows:
1. The team with the better overall winning record at the end of Regular Season play, as determined by the specific League format, will have the choice of either hammer or colour, and teams will flip (any version) for the option not chosen.
2. Ties are permitted only during Round Robin play during League Playoffs.
3. If Playoffs include playdowns (Quarters/Semis/Finals), ties are not permitted in those matches. Once the match time limit is reached, each tied match will complete a single rock shootout to determine the winner. This shootout may be by any team member and will continue until one team is measurably closer to the pin. Sweeping is allowed only by the team throwing. Measurements are to be witnessed by the opposing team.
4. Non-HCC members are not allowed to Spare in Playoffs.
5. For 4-person team play, only two Spares are permitted for any match.
6. For 2-person team play, only one Spare is permitted for any match.
(E) Club Championships:
All rules listed for Playoffs will apply for Club Championships, except as follows:
1. Regulation play is to be a maximum of 8 ends, with no time limitations.
2. Teams will flip (any version) for choice of last rock or rock colour, for every match.
3. For matches tied after regulation play, extra ends will be played toward the glass until a winner is decided.
4. A maximum of two Spares are permitted for 4-person team play, and one Spare is permitted for 2-person team play, subject to the conditions below.
5. Non-HCC members are not allowed to spare in Club Championships. Current Learn-to-Curl participants are not considered to be members during Club Championships and may not Spare.
6. Spares may be selected from any available club member, however an A-level player in any league at any point in Regular season or Playoffs may only Spare in A-level or B-level matches. Any member who is not at an A-level during the season may Spare at any division level.
(F) Forfeiture and cancellation:
1. A 4-person team unable to field at least 3 players will forfeit any match, subject to the conditions below.
2. A 2-person team unable to field 2 players will forfeit any match, subject to the conditions below.
3. A team arriving late to a match forfeits 1 point, 1 end, hammer and colour choice after 10 minutes past the scheduled start time, and the match after 20 minutes, providing the other team is on time to start the match.
4. If a team forfeits a match, the non-offending team is awarded the Win.
5. Matches during the Regular Season and Playoffs may be rescheduled to another date if requested by one team, provided it fits within the schedule limitations of the League. The non-offending team has the right to choose not to reschedule, and thus win by forfeit, if they believe they cannot legitimately field a team on a new date before the start of the next draw.
6. Matches during Club Championships can only be rescheduled if the Event Convenor as well as all affected teams agree, and only if it does not affect the overall schedule.
7. Rescheduling is the responsibility of the teams scheduled to play, and the HCC Convenors or Directors will not be held liable for making alternate arrangements. However, booking ice for rescheduled matches must be arranged through the Match Director.
8. Matches cancelled due to mutual agreement between both teams prior to scheduled start time will be considered un-played, with no points awarded.
9. Matches cancelled or halted part-way through, due to circumstances beyond the control of either team such as extreme weather, ice plant malfunction, injury during a match, damage to facilities or club evacuation, will be scored as follows:
· If 4 ends or more have been completed, the team with the higher score Wins.
· If fewer than 4 ends have been completed, the match is considered a Tie.
· Alternatively, if both teams agree the match can either be rescheduled or cancelled.
10. Any disputes concerning the above rules will be examined and ruled upon by the Match Director, subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
