Cup Competition Rules

Match format

• Teams of 8.
• Played as 4 randomly drawn pairs (drawn by both captains, home and away teams).  Unlike in league matches, captains cannot decide on their pairings in advance of the draw.  Each captain chooses one pair to go on the green first.
• Although not mandatory it is suggested that two games go on first followed by the second two games.
• At the start of each pair of matches, who has the jack is decided by the toss of a coin.  The winners have the jack but their opponents have the jack in the other match, starting at the same time. This will mean that each team will have possession of the jack for two of the four matches
• Each game played to 21. Handicaps are adjusted/tweaked so that one of the pairs always starts on 0.  For example, a match between two 3rd division teams would see the home team pair start on 0 and the away pair on +1. Adjusted handicaps to go on the scorecard at the start of each game (see below).  
• Aggregate of 4 pairs’ games constitutes the team score.  (A team only fielding 3 pairs will forfeit a game 0 - 21)
• Highest aggregate team score wins. (If tied, then the top pair from each team play off - best of 5 ends, toss of a coin to decide who has the jack to begin the play off.  If there is still a tie at the end of the 5 ends, an extra end to be played with the winners of the 5th end having the jack)
• The final to be played at a neutral venue to be decided by the committee. 
• To be eligible to play in the later stages of the Cup Competition (the semi final and final), a player must ahve played at least two league nmatches prior to the date of the semi final.

 Handicaps

Div 1 teams:  Each game off scratch;  therefore 4 x 0 = team h/cap of   0. 

Div 2 teams:  Each game off +3 (on scorecard at start of game)      ; therefore 4 x 3 = overall team h/icap of  12.  

Div 3 teams:  Each game off +6 (on scorecard at start of game)      ; therefore 4 x 6 = overall team h/icap of  24 

Away team receive an additional handicap of 1 point per game. (added to handicap on scorecard at start of each game)

NB. See rules above as far as adjusting the handicaps is concerned, so that for each match one pair will start on 0. 

Rounds:

First round to be drawn by the League Committee. 

31 teams: 

1st round:                15 matches (+ 1 bye).  Matches to be played on Thursday 24th April

2nd round:                8 matches.                  Matches to be played on Thursday 22nd May

Quarter finals:           4 matches.                  Matches to be played on Thursday 19th June 

Semi finals:               2 matches.                  Matches to be played on Thursday 17th July

Final:                        1 match.                      Match to be played on Thursday 31st July