For early leagues (Sunday 3:30pm and 5:45pm; Monday-Friday 6:00pm), the buzzer is sounded at 1 hour and 35 minutes past the draw time. For late leagues (Sunday 8:00pm and Monday-Friday 8:15pm), the buzzer is sounded at 1 hour and 45 minutes past the draw time.
Here’s how to think about the buzzer. It’s a warning that the end is approaching. The two skips should quickly confer and agree on how the game can reasonably be finished by the two-hour mark. If, for example, you have one rock left to throw in the 7th end, then you’ll easily be able to finish that end and play the 8th end too. Conversely, if you’ve only just thrown the first rock in the 7th, then it’d be impossible to get both ends completed in time, and the skips should agree that the game will end after the 7th. If the buzzer rings and you're exactly half way through an end, perhaps the skips will agree to finish that end, and play an additional short end (each player throwing one stone). The idea is to give you the full use of your two hours of ice, but still finishing on time.
In other words, rather than creating a hard-and-fast rule, we’re asking members to use judgement, be reasonable, and agree on an approach to finish on time (two hours after draw time). We’re confident that this can work better than a strict rule, given the kind of culture we have at Frogtown.
Rather than thinking "we're entitled to eight ends", it's more reasonable to think: "we entitled to two hours of ice time".
For earlier leagues, the single biggest aid to getting your full eight ends completed is to start on time. Try to complete your handshakes, flip the coin, and fill your glass in advance so you can start right at your draw time. Remember, you don’t need a full team to start.
We know that by asking for judgement, that occasional mistakes will be made. If you get down to the last couple of rocks and that takes you a minute or two over time, there’s no punishment or policing. If it happens for your team once or twice a year, it won’t be an issue. However, if you’re finding that you’re finishing past two hours more frequently, then please do some self-correction. Again, we’re counting on the Frogtown culture rather than a dictatorial rule.
Some tips:
- An end played at a quick pace can be played in 15 minutes.
- Skips: You don't have to wait until the buzzer rings to chat with the opposing skip about pace of play and how you want to complete the game on time. You can discuss this during or before the game.
- If you're tied, you can resolve it with a short end (each player throws one rock rather than two), or with skip's rocks (one stone per team). Make the choice that will allow your game to finish on time (two hours after your draw time).
- As a general rule, if the buzzer rings at 1 hour and 35 minutes:
- If you're playing vice's or skips rocks: you're likely on pace to finish the end and play a full additional, as long as you play with a reasonably quick pace.
- If you're playing lead's rocks: you're likely NOT on place to finish the end and play a full additional, so plan accordingly.
- If you're playing second's rocks: you're likely not on pace to finish the end and play another, unless you agree to speed up, and perhaps play a short end.
