In addition to the rules of the game, curling has rules of etiquette that help maintain the dignity and fun of the game for everyone.
- Be prepared to step on the ice and start the game at the designated time.
- Greet each member of the opposing team with a handshake, a self-introduction and a wish for good curling.
- Be ready to play when your turn comes. As soon as your opponent has delivered (released) his or her rock, step into the hack and get your own rock ready (tilt it up, brush frost and loose dirt off the bottom and brush any resulting debris off the ice). Be ready and waiting for your skip’s instructions by the time your opponent’s rock comes to rest. Every end should take a maximum of 15 minutes – do your part to make sure your team stays on time.
- Do not disturb a curler in the hack. If you are on the opposing team, you should be standing quietly, between the hog lines, to wait for the other team to throw.
- Behind the tee line, only one member of each team can sweep at one time. If you decide not to sweep your own rock, make way for the other team.
- If you “burn” (touch) a moving rock with your broom while sweeping, do not stop the rock. Allow it to come to rest and alert both skips of what occurred. The opposing skip has three choices:
- allow the play to stand, or
- remove the burned rock from play and replace all the affected rocks to their original positions, or
- place the burned rock and all rocks it would have affected where they would have come to rest if the violation had not occurred.
- If you move a stationary rock, and if that move did not affect a running rock, then the non-offending team replaces the rock to its original position (if there is any question about whether the touched rock or another rock is closer to the button, the touched rock is replaced in favour of the non-offending team). If the move would have affected the course of another rock in motion, then the non-offending team has three choices:
- allow the play to stand, or
- remove the rock in motion and replace all the affected rocks to their original positions, or
- place the rock in motion and all rocks it would have affected where they would have come to rest if the violation had not occurred.
- When a team is preparing to deliver, the opposing skip stands still to avoid disturbing the concentration of the player in the hack.
- At the conclusion of the end, only the vice-skips are in the house to determine the score of the end. No rocks are moved until the vice-skips agree. The vice-skips are responsible for measuring, if necessary, and for posting the score on the scoreboard.
- Be a good sport. Compliment a good shot by either side. Never comment negatively on a teammate’s or opponent’s poor shot or bad luck. If you make a poor shot yourself, keep your temper.
- Win or lose, thank each of the opposing players for the game with a handshake and spend social time with them. Each member of the winning team offers to buy a beverage for his or her counterpart on the losing team. The offer is later reciprocated by the members of the losing team. Also, if the opposing team is from out of town, offer to exchange club pins with them (be sure you have some Las Vegas pins to do so!)
(Thanks to Carleton Place Curling Club)