The competition is confined to clubs in the county of Donegal who have paid the  entry & affiliation fee.

Each club may enter one team consisting of Ten ( 10 ) male members and play will be by better ball match play under handicap. The              lowest player reverts to scratch and concedes strokes to the other three players based on Nine Tenths (90%) of the difference between the full handicaps.

A team may play in any order of handicap.

No player may take part if his playing handicap is less than eighteen (18) on the day of the match. Each player must hold a CONGU handicap which can be verified on GolfNet.

All matches will be played off forward tees and over a measured course.

Both clubs are responsible for contacting each other. This will be done in the first week after the time for the previous round .At this contact they will decide the type of meals that they will each provide. A club which does not wish to play on Sundays should inform their opponents immediately so that full consideration can be given to this.

If clubs cannot agree on times for the matches to be played they will contact the convenor who will set the time for the match to be played. The top named club will play at home for the first leg unless otherwise agreed. See Covid 19 special rule for 2020 split venue for all rounds up to and including Semifinal on main draw.

The minimum age is eighteen (18 ) and over on the 1st January in the year of the competition. Clubs are encouraged to select players of mature years .If a club plays a player under eighteen (18) years  they  shall incur loss of that match and ten (10) holes.

The respective team captains will simultaneously exchange the names of the members of their team in order of play together with the names of substitutes .In all cases handicaps must be stated .In the second leg they must also indicate which two players will play off in the event of a tied match. If it has not been agreed which players are to play off then it will be the fifth pairing.

Each individual game will count as one point to the winner. Half a point will be awarded in a halved game. An individual game will end when a winning position has been reached. Holes up should be noted .In the event of games being equal then the winning team will be the one which is the most holes up. If clubs still tied ,then a decision will be reached by sudden death play-off by the pairings indicated in rule 9 .

In relation to meals no club is expected to provide free of charge to the visiting team Meals for more than 10 team members and no more than three visiting club officials .The onus is on the visiting captain to ensure that his club pays for any additional meals provided, The spirit of golf as well as the letter of the law should be adhered to at all times. When they are in conflict the spirit should take precedence.