Buddy System - User Guide

Overview

The Buddies on the Green buddy system allows golfers to connect with other players, share rounds, play side games together, and build their golf community. The buddy system is the social foundation of the app, enabling players to find golf partners, track each other's progress, and stay connected on and off the course.

⭐ Buddies is a Premium Feature

The Buddies page is available to premium members. If you're on a free account, opening Buddies shows an upgrade promo instead of your buddy list, so you'll need to upgrade before you can search for players, send buddy requests, or manage your connections.

📱 Accessing the Buddies Section

Navigation:

Mobile: Tap the hamburger menu in the top bar, then tap "Buddies" in the drawer
Desktop: Click "Buddies" in the main header menu
URL: /buddies

The Buddies page has two tabs:

My Buddies - Your confirmed buddy connections
Pending - Incoming and outgoing buddy requests

Above the tabs is a "Find New Buddies" button, which opens the buddy search in a pop-up window.

👥 Finding & Adding Buddies

Method 1: Search for Players

Steps:

Tap the "Find New Buddies" button
Enter a name in the search bar
Browse search results
Tap "Add Buddy" button next to a player
A buddy request is sent to that player

Search Tips:

Search by partial name (e.g., "john" finds "john_golfer")
Results show the player's name and profile picture

Search Filters:

You can filter your buddy search by golf preferences to find compatible playing partners:

Player Preferences:

Drinks: Find golfers who enjoy drinks on the course (or prefer not to)
Smoking (Cigarettes): Match with players who smoke cigarettes
Smoking (Cigars): Match with players who enjoy cigars
Non-Smoking Preference: Find players who prefer smoke-free rounds
Music: Connect with golfers who like music while playing
Side Games: Find players interested in betting games (Nassau, Skins, etc.)

Course Preferences:

Cart: Find players who prefer riding carts
Walking: Match with golfers who prefer walking the course

Other Filters:

Handicap Range: Min/max handicap index
Gender: Male, Female, or Any
Age Range: Find players in your age group
Location: Search by city, state, or region

How to Use Filters:

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Filters" to open the filter options (it changes to "Hide Filters" so you can collapse them again)
Select your preferred filters
Tap the magnifier (🔍) button to run the search
Browse filtered results
Send buddy requests to compatible players

Why Use Filters?

Find golfers with similar playing styles
Avoid incompatible preferences (e.g., non-smokers finding smoke-free rounds)
Build a more enjoyable golf group
Match skill levels with handicap range
Connect with local players

Method 2: Quick Connect Feature

What is Quick Connect? Quick Connect allows you to instantly connect with nearby golfers using QR codes or 6-character codes. Perfect for meeting new players at the course or adding someone you just played with.

Quick Connect offers three ways to share your profile:

Option 1: Show Your QR Code

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Quick Connect" button
Select "Share QR" tab
Show your QR code on your screen
Other golfer scans your code with their camera
Instant buddy connection created!

Sharing Options:

Show on screen: Display QR code for others to scan
Share via AirDrop: Send QR code to nearby Apple devices
Save to Photos: Download QR code to share later
Copy Link: Copy your profile URL to clipboard

Option 2: Scan Their QR Code

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Quick Connect" button
Select "Scan QR" tab
Tap "Start Scanning" button
Allow camera access if prompted
Point camera at their QR code
Instant buddy connection created!

Scanning Tips:

Allow camera access when prompted
Use good lighting for best results
Hold camera steady when scanning
The scanner uses your live camera, so you'll need their code on screen in front of you - it can't read a saved screenshot from your camera roll

Option 3: Quick Connect Code (6 Characters)

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Quick Connect" button
Select "Quick Code" tab
Your unique 6-character code is displayed (e.g., "ABC123")
Share this code verbally or via text
Code expires after 30 minutes for security
You can have up to 3 active codes at a time

To Use Someone's Code:

Tap "Find New Buddies" → "Quick Connect"
Select "Quick Code" tab
Look for "Enter Code" option
Type their 6-character code
Tap "Connect"
Instant buddy connection created!

Quick Connect Benefits:

✅ Instant connection - no waiting for approval
✅ No need to know username or email
✅ Perfect for in-person meetups at the golf course
✅ Codes expire for security (30 minutes)
✅ New code generated each time for privacy
✅ Share via AirDrop, text, or verbally

Quick Connect Use Cases:

Meeting someone at the golf course clubhouse
Adding players from your tournament group
Connecting with league members at events
Sharing your profile at golf socials
Building your local golf community

Method 3: Buddy Suggestions (Coming Soon)

Future feature will suggest buddies based on:

Nearby courses you play
Similar skill level/handicap
Mutual buddies
Shared league/tournament participation

📬 Managing Buddy Requests

Incoming Requests

When someone sends you a buddy request, you'll receive:

🔔 Push notification (if enabled)
📧 Email notification
Red badge on the Buddies item in the menu
Request appears in the "Pending" tab

To Accept a Request:

Go to the "Pending" tab
Find the incoming request
Tap "Accept"
Player is now added to your Buddies list
Both players can now see each other's activity

To Decline a Request:

Go to the "Pending" tab
Find the incoming request
Tap "Decline"
Request is removed
The sender is NOT notified of the decline

Outgoing Requests

Track buddy requests you've sent to others:

To Cancel a Request:

Go to the "Pending" tab
Find your outgoing request
Tap "Cancel Request"
Request is withdrawn

Request Status:

Pending: Waiting for the other player to respond
Accepted: They accepted - now in your Buddies list

🤝 Your Buddies List

What You Can See About Your Buddies

Profile Information:

Name and username
Profile picture
Handicap index
Home course (if set)
Online/offline status (green dot = online)
Last active timestamp

Activity & Stats:

Recent rounds played
Average score
Best round
Rounds played this month
Courses played
Leagues and tournaments

Shared Rounds:

Rounds you've played together
Upcoming scheduled rounds

Buddy Actions

From the Buddies List:

View Profile: Tap their name to see full profile and stats
Message: Send direct message (if messaging enabled)
Invite to Round: Add them to a new round you're creating
View Activity: See their recent rounds and achievements
Remove Buddy: Unfriend them from the kebab (⋮) menu on their buddy card (see below)

Online/Offline Status

Status Indicators:

🟢 Green dot: Online now
🟡 Yellow dot: Away (connected but inactive for 2+ minutes)
⚪ Gray: Offline (disconnected)
Last seen: Shows "Last active X minutes/hours ago" timestamp
Pulse animation: Green dots pulse for currently active users

How It Works:

Status updates automatically in real-time
You'll see when buddies come online or go offline
"Away" status shows they're connected but haven't interacted for 2 minutes
No manual refresh needed - updates happen instantly

🎮 Playing Rounds with Buddies

Inviting Buddies to Rounds

When Creating a Round:

Start creating a new round
Choose the "Playing with Others" card - this takes you straight to buddy selection
Choose buddies and assign roles:
- Player: Actively playing, can enter scores
- Spectator: Following along, can view live scores
- Scorekeeper: A player who can also enter scores for everyone
Tap "Continue"
Finish setting up the round
Your buddies are added to the round and notified

Buddy Roles Explained:

Player:

Plays in the round
Can enter their own scores
Appears on leaderboard
Scores count toward their stats

Spectator:

Watches the round in real-time
Cannot enter scores
Can view live leaderboard
Receives score updates
Perfect for family/friends following your round

Scorekeeper:

Can enter scores for ALL players
Helpful when one person tracks the scorecard
Often used in tournaments
The Scorekeeper toggle only appears once you've set that buddy to Player

What Happens After You Add Buddies

Buddies you add are placed straight into the round - there's no invitation to accept or decline. Each of them:

Receives a push notification and email
Sees the round in their schedule
Can enter scores (if they're a player or scorekeeper)
Receives live updates during the round

🏆 Competing with Buddies

Side Games & Betting

When playing rounds with buddies, you can enable side games:

Nassau: Front 9, Back 9, and Total 18 betting
Skins: Win the pot for lowest score on each hole
Wolf: Rotating partnership game (4 players)
Match Play: Head-to-head or team competition
Banker: Rotating banker with per-hole wagering and multipliers (3-5 players)
Nines (5-3-1): Points distributed 5-3-1 per hole (3 players)
Snake: 3-putt penalty game, last holder pays
Sixes: Rotating team partnerships every 6 holes (4 players)
Vegas: 2v2 teams with paired 2-digit score system (4 players)
Bingo Bango Bongo: A point for first on the green, closest to the pin once everyone's on, and first in the hole (2-4 players)
Train: Board the train with a net par or better, collect points each hole you stay on, and lose the lot if you derail (2+ players)

See Side Games Documentation for full details.

💬 Commenting & Reactions

On Shared Rounds:

Leave comments on buddy's rounds
React with emojis (🦅 🐦 🔥 👏 😬 ⛳ 🏆 🎉 🤮)
Encourage friends after tough rounds
Celebrate personal bests

Privacy:

Only buddies can see and comment on your rounds
Comments are turned on or off per round by the round's owner, on the Edit Round page
You can delete comments on your own rounds

🔒 Privacy & Permissions

What Buddies Can See

Always Visible to Buddies:

✅ Name and username
✅ Profile picture
✅ Handicap index
✅ Recent round scores
✅ Average score and stats
✅ Courses played

Profile Visibility

Your profile visibility is set on your Profile page:

Public: Anyone can find and view your profile
Friends Only: Visible to your buddies
Private: Your profile is hidden

👋 Removing Buddies

How to Unfriend Someone

Steps:

Go to the "My Buddies" tab
Find the buddy you want to remove
Tap the kebab menu (⋮) on their buddy card
Tap "Remove Buddy"
Confirm the action

What Happens When You Remove a Buddy:

❌ They're removed from your buddy list
❌ You're removed from their buddy list
❌ They can no longer see your activity
❌ You can no longer see their activity
❌ Shared rounds remain visible, but no new rounds can be shared
❌ Past comments remain, but no new comments can be added
✅ They are NOT notified when you remove them
✅ You can re-add them later by sending a new request

🏅 Buddy Challenges (Coming Soon)

Future feature will allow:

Create challenges with buddies (best score this month, most rounds, etc.)
Set friendly wagers
Track challenge progress
Earn badges for completing challenges

🎯 Best Practices

Building Your Golf Buddy Network

Tips for Growing Your Buddy List:

Start with people you know: Add golf buddies, friends, family
Use Quick Connect at the course: Meet new players during rounds
Join leagues and tournaments: Connect with competitors
Add regular playing partners: Keep in touch with your golf group
Connect with local golfers: Build your course community

Buddy Etiquette

Do's:

✅ Congratulate buddies on good rounds
✅ Encourage friends after tough rounds
✅ Respond to buddy requests promptly
✅ Keep your handicap updated
✅ Share your achievements

Don'ts:

❌ Don't spam buddy requests to strangers
❌ Don't leave negative comments on buddy's rounds
❌ Don't share personal information in public comments
❌ Don't argue about scores or handicaps

🔔 Notifications

Buddy-Related Notifications

You'll Receive Notifications For:

📬 New buddy request received
✅ Buddy request accepted
🏌️ Buddy invites you to a round
📊 Buddy posts a new round
💬 Buddy comments on your round
🏆 Buddy achieves a milestone
⏰ Upcoming scheduled round with buddies

Managing Notifications:

Go to your Profile page
Find the Push Notifications section
Turn push notifications on or off

Notification Channels:

📱 Push notifications (in-app)
📧 Email notifications

❓ Common Questions

"How many buddies can I have?"

There's no limit! Add as many buddies as you want. Most users have 10-50 buddies, but power users may have hundreds.

"Can I play rounds with non-buddies?"

Yes! You can:

Play solo rounds (no buddies needed)
Invite specific players to rounds (they'll receive a one-time invitation)
Use Quick Connect to add them as buddies first

However, only buddies can see your recent activity and receive regular updates.

"What if I send a buddy request by mistake?"

You can cancel outgoing requests from the "Pending" tab before they're accepted.

"Can buddies see ALL my rounds?"

Buddies can see:

Rounds you've shared with them
Rounds where they were participants

"Do I need buddies to use the app?"

No! You can:

Track rounds solo
View your own stats and progress
Search for courses
Redeem partner offers
All without adding buddies

Buddies enhance the social experience but aren't required.

"Can I organize buddies into groups?"

Not yet, but "Buddy Groups" is a planned feature allowing you to:

Create custom groups (e.g., "Sunday Golf Crew", "Work Friends")
Quickly invite entire groups to rounds
Filter activity by group

🛠️ Troubleshooting

"I can't find my friend when searching"

Possible reasons:

They haven't created an account yet (invite them to sign up!)
They're using a different name than you think
Their profile visibility is set to Private (they won't appear in search)
Check for typos in your search

Solution: Use Quick Connect instead - share your code with them in person.

"My buddy request is stuck as 'Pending'"

Possible reasons:

They haven't opened the app to see the request
Their notifications are disabled
They may have declined (you won't be notified)

Solution:

Wait 24-48 hours for them to see it
Ask them directly if they received it
Cancel and resend if it's been over a week

"I don't see my buddy's online status"

Possible reasons:

They haven't been active recently
Connection issues on their end

Solution: Status updates on its own - give it a moment, or check back later.

"Quick Connect isn't working"

QR Code Issues:

Can't scan: Allow camera access in your phone settings
Scan failed: Ensure good lighting and hold camera steady
Invalid code: Make sure you're scanning a Buddies QR code
Already connected: You may already be buddies with this person

Quick Connect Code Issues:

Code expired: Codes expire after 30 minutes - ask for a new code
Typo in code: Double-check spelling (codes use letters A-Z, excluding I and O, and numbers 2-9)
Code not found: Code may have already been used or deactivated
Can't connect to yourself: You cannot use your own Quick Connect code

Solution:

Generate a new Quick Connect code (you can have up to 3 active at a time)
Try QR code scanning instead (more reliable)
Ensure strong internet connection
Codes are case-insensitive: "ABC123" = "abc123"

📞 Need Help?

Can't find what you're looking for?

Use the AI Support chat (tap the help button)
Email: support@buddiesonthegreen.com
Check out our Help Center: [support page]

Feature Requests: Have an idea for improving the buddy system? We'd love to hear it! Email us at feedback@buddiesonthegreen.com

Buddy System - User Guide

Overview

⭐ Buddies is a Premium Feature

📱 Accessing the Buddies Section

Navigation:

Mobile: Tap the hamburger menu in the top bar, then tap "Buddies" in the drawer
Desktop: Click "Buddies" in the main header menu
URL: /buddies

The Buddies page has two tabs:

My Buddies - Your confirmed buddy connections
Pending - Incoming and outgoing buddy requests

Above the tabs is a "Find New Buddies" button, which opens the buddy search in a pop-up window.

👥 Finding & Adding Buddies

Method 1: Search for Players

Steps:

Tap the "Find New Buddies" button
Enter a name in the search bar
Browse search results
Tap "Add Buddy" button next to a player
A buddy request is sent to that player

Search Tips:

Search by partial name (e.g., "john" finds "john_golfer")
Results show the player's name and profile picture

Search Filters:

You can filter your buddy search by golf preferences to find compatible playing partners:

Player Preferences:

Drinks: Find golfers who enjoy drinks on the course (or prefer not to)
Smoking (Cigarettes): Match with players who smoke cigarettes
Smoking (Cigars): Match with players who enjoy cigars
Non-Smoking Preference: Find players who prefer smoke-free rounds
Music: Connect with golfers who like music while playing
Side Games: Find players interested in betting games (Nassau, Skins, etc.)

Course Preferences:

Cart: Find players who prefer riding carts
Walking: Match with golfers who prefer walking the course

Other Filters:

Handicap Range: Min/max handicap index
Gender: Male, Female, or Any
Age Range: Find players in your age group
Location: Search by city, state, or region

How to Use Filters:

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Filters" to open the filter options (it changes to "Hide Filters" so you can collapse them again)
Select your preferred filters
Tap the magnifier (🔍) button to run the search
Browse filtered results
Send buddy requests to compatible players

Why Use Filters?

Find golfers with similar playing styles
Avoid incompatible preferences (e.g., non-smokers finding smoke-free rounds)
Build a more enjoyable golf group
Match skill levels with handicap range
Connect with local players

Method 2: Quick Connect Feature

Quick Connect offers three ways to share your profile:

Option 1: Show Your QR Code

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Quick Connect" button
Select "Share QR" tab
Show your QR code on your screen
Other golfer scans your code with their camera
Instant buddy connection created!

Sharing Options:

Show on screen: Display QR code for others to scan
Share via AirDrop: Send QR code to nearby Apple devices
Save to Photos: Download QR code to share later
Copy Link: Copy your profile URL to clipboard

Option 2: Scan Their QR Code

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Quick Connect" button
Select "Scan QR" tab
Tap "Start Scanning" button
Allow camera access if prompted
Point camera at their QR code
Instant buddy connection created!

Scanning Tips:

Allow camera access when prompted
Use good lighting for best results
Hold camera steady when scanning
The scanner uses your live camera, so you'll need their code on screen in front of you - it can't read a saved screenshot from your camera roll

Option 3: Quick Connect Code (6 Characters)

Tap "Find New Buddies"
Tap "Quick Connect" button
Select "Quick Code" tab
Your unique 6-character code is displayed (e.g., "ABC123")
Share this code verbally or via text
Code expires after 30 minutes for security
You can have up to 3 active codes at a time

To Use Someone's Code:

Tap "Find New Buddies" → "Quick Connect"
Select "Quick Code" tab
Look for "Enter Code" option
Type their 6-character code
Tap "Connect"
Instant buddy connection created!

Quick Connect Benefits:

✅ Instant connection - no waiting for approval
✅ No need to know username or email
✅ Perfect for in-person meetups at the golf course
✅ Codes expire for security (30 minutes)
✅ New code generated each time for privacy
✅ Share via AirDrop, text, or verbally

Quick Connect Use Cases:

Meeting someone at the golf course clubhouse
Adding players from your tournament group
Connecting with league members at events
Sharing your profile at golf socials
Building your local golf community

Method 3: Buddy Suggestions (Coming Soon)

Future feature will suggest buddies based on:

Nearby courses you play
Similar skill level/handicap
Mutual buddies
Shared league/tournament participation

📬 Managing Buddy Requests

Incoming Requests

When someone sends you a buddy request, you'll receive:

🔔 Push notification (if enabled)
📧 Email notification
Red badge on the Buddies item in the menu
Request appears in the "Pending" tab

To Accept a Request:

Go to the "Pending" tab
Find the incoming request
Tap "Accept"
Player is now added to your Buddies list
Both players can now see each other's activity

To Decline a Request:

Go to the "Pending" tab
Find the incoming request
Tap "Decline"
Request is removed
The sender is NOT notified of the decline

Outgoing Requests

Track buddy requests you've sent to others:

To Cancel a Request:

Go to the "Pending" tab
Find your outgoing request
Tap "Cancel Request"
Request is withdrawn

Request Status:

Pending: Waiting for the other player to respond
Accepted: They accepted - now in your Buddies list

🤝 Your Buddies List

What You Can See About Your Buddies

Profile Information:

Name and username
Profile picture
Handicap index
Home course (if set)
Online/offline status (green dot = online)
Last active timestamp

Activity & Stats:

Recent rounds played
Average score
Best round
Rounds played this month
Courses played
Leagues and tournaments

Shared Rounds:

Rounds you've played together
Upcoming scheduled rounds

Buddy Actions

From the Buddies List:

View Profile: Tap their name to see full profile and stats
Message: Send direct message (if messaging enabled)
Invite to Round: Add them to a new round you're creating
View Activity: See their recent rounds and achievements
Remove Buddy: Unfriend them from the kebab (⋮) menu on their buddy card (see below)

Online/Offline Status

Status Indicators:

🟢 Green dot: Online now
🟡 Yellow dot: Away (connected but inactive for 2+ minutes)
⚪ Gray: Offline (disconnected)
Last seen: Shows "Last active X minutes/hours ago" timestamp
Pulse animation: Green dots pulse for currently active users

How It Works:

Status updates automatically in real-time
You'll see when buddies come online or go offline
"Away" status shows they're connected but haven't interacted for 2 minutes
No manual refresh needed - updates happen instantly

🎮 Playing Rounds with Buddies

Inviting Buddies to Rounds

When Creating a Round:

Start creating a new round
Choose the "Playing with Others" card - this takes you straight to buddy selection
Choose buddies and assign roles:
- Player: Actively playing, can enter scores
- Spectator: Following along, can view live scores
- Scorekeeper: A player who can also enter scores for everyone
Tap "Continue"
Finish setting up the round
Your buddies are added to the round and notified

Buddy Roles Explained:

Player:

Plays in the round
Can enter their own scores
Appears on leaderboard
Scores count toward their stats

Spectator:

Watches the round in real-time
Cannot enter scores
Can view live leaderboard
Receives score updates
Perfect for family/friends following your round

Scorekeeper:

Can enter scores for ALL players
Helpful when one person tracks the scorecard
Often used in tournaments
The Scorekeeper toggle only appears once you've set that buddy to Player

What Happens After You Add Buddies

Buddies you add are placed straight into the round - there's no invitation to accept or decline. Each of them:

Receives a push notification and email
Sees the round in their schedule
Can enter scores (if they're a player or scorekeeper)
Receives live updates during the round

🏆 Competing with Buddies

Side Games & Betting

When playing rounds with buddies, you can enable side games:

Nassau: Front 9, Back 9, and Total 18 betting
Skins: Win the pot for lowest score on each hole
Wolf: Rotating partnership game (4 players)
Match Play: Head-to-head or team competition
Banker: Rotating banker with per-hole wagering and multipliers (3-5 players)
Nines (5-3-1): Points distributed 5-3-1 per hole (3 players)
Snake: 3-putt penalty game, last holder pays
Sixes: Rotating team partnerships every 6 holes (4 players)
Vegas: 2v2 teams with paired 2-digit score system (4 players)
Bingo Bango Bongo: A point for first on the green, closest to the pin once everyone's on, and first in the hole (2-4 players)
Train: Board the train with a net par or better, collect points each hole you stay on, and lose the lot if you derail (2+ players)

See Side Games Documentation for full details.

💬 Commenting & Reactions

On Shared Rounds:

Leave comments on buddy's rounds
React with emojis (🦅 🐦 🔥 👏 😬 ⛳ 🏆 🎉 🤮)
Encourage friends after tough rounds
Celebrate personal bests

Privacy:

Only buddies can see and comment on your rounds
Comments are turned on or off per round by the round's owner, on the Edit Round page
You can delete comments on your own rounds

🔒 Privacy & Permissions

What Buddies Can See

Always Visible to Buddies:

✅ Name and username
✅ Profile picture
✅ Handicap index
✅ Recent round scores
✅ Average score and stats
✅ Courses played

Profile Visibility

Your profile visibility is set on your Profile page:

Public: Anyone can find and view your profile
Friends Only: Visible to your buddies
Private: Your profile is hidden

👋 Removing Buddies

How to Unfriend Someone

Steps:

Go to the "My Buddies" tab
Find the buddy you want to remove
Tap the kebab menu (⋮) on their buddy card
Tap "Remove Buddy"
Confirm the action

What Happens When You Remove a Buddy:

❌ They're removed from your buddy list
❌ You're removed from their buddy list
❌ They can no longer see your activity
❌ You can no longer see their activity
❌ Shared rounds remain visible, but no new rounds can be shared
❌ Past comments remain, but no new comments can be added
✅ They are NOT notified when you remove them
✅ You can re-add them later by sending a new request

🏅 Buddy Challenges (Coming Soon)

Future feature will allow:

Create challenges with buddies (best score this month, most rounds, etc.)
Set friendly wagers
Track challenge progress
Earn badges for completing challenges

🎯 Best Practices

Building Your Golf Buddy Network

Tips for Growing Your Buddy List:

Start with people you know: Add golf buddies, friends, family
Use Quick Connect at the course: Meet new players during rounds
Join leagues and tournaments: Connect with competitors
Add regular playing partners: Keep in touch with your golf group
Connect with local golfers: Build your course community

Buddy Etiquette

Do's:

✅ Congratulate buddies on good rounds
✅ Encourage friends after tough rounds
✅ Respond to buddy requests promptly
✅ Keep your handicap updated
✅ Share your achievements

Don'ts:

❌ Don't spam buddy requests to strangers
❌ Don't leave negative comments on buddy's rounds
❌ Don't share personal information in public comments
❌ Don't argue about scores or handicaps

🔔 Notifications

Buddy-Related Notifications

You'll Receive Notifications For:

📬 New buddy request received
✅ Buddy request accepted
🏌️ Buddy invites you to a round
📊 Buddy posts a new round
💬 Buddy comments on your round
🏆 Buddy achieves a milestone
⏰ Upcoming scheduled round with buddies

Managing Notifications:

Go to your Profile page
Find the Push Notifications section
Turn push notifications on or off

Notification Channels:

📱 Push notifications (in-app)
📧 Email notifications

❓ Common Questions

"How many buddies can I have?"

There's no limit! Add as many buddies as you want. Most users have 10-50 buddies, but power users may have hundreds.

"Can I play rounds with non-buddies?"

Yes! You can:

Play solo rounds (no buddies needed)
Invite specific players to rounds (they'll receive a one-time invitation)
Use Quick Connect to add them as buddies first

However, only buddies can see your recent activity and receive regular updates.

"What if I send a buddy request by mistake?"

You can cancel outgoing requests from the "Pending" tab before they're accepted.

"Can buddies see ALL my rounds?"

Buddies can see:

Rounds you've shared with them
Rounds where they were participants

"Do I need buddies to use the app?"

No! You can:

Track rounds solo
View your own stats and progress
Search for courses
Redeem partner offers
All without adding buddies

Buddies enhance the social experience but aren't required.

"Can I organize buddies into groups?"

Not yet, but "Buddy Groups" is a planned feature allowing you to:

Create custom groups (e.g., "Sunday Golf Crew", "Work Friends")
Quickly invite entire groups to rounds
Filter activity by group

🛠️ Troubleshooting

"I can't find my friend when searching"

Possible reasons:

They haven't created an account yet (invite them to sign up!)
They're using a different name than you think
Their profile visibility is set to Private (they won't appear in search)
Check for typos in your search

Solution: Use Quick Connect instead - share your code with them in person.

"My buddy request is stuck as 'Pending'"

Possible reasons:

They haven't opened the app to see the request
Their notifications are disabled
They may have declined (you won't be notified)

Solution:

Wait 24-48 hours for them to see it
Ask them directly if they received it
Cancel and resend if it's been over a week

"I don't see my buddy's online status"

Possible reasons:

They haven't been active recently
Connection issues on their end

Solution: Status updates on its own - give it a moment, or check back later.

"Quick Connect isn't working"

QR Code Issues:

Can't scan: Allow camera access in your phone settings
Scan failed: Ensure good lighting and hold camera steady
Invalid code: Make sure you're scanning a Buddies QR code
Already connected: You may already be buddies with this person

Quick Connect Code Issues:

Code expired: Codes expire after 30 minutes - ask for a new code
Typo in code: Double-check spelling (codes use letters A-Z, excluding I and O, and numbers 2-9)
Code not found: Code may have already been used or deactivated
Can't connect to yourself: You cannot use your own Quick Connect code

Solution:

Generate a new Quick Connect code (you can have up to 3 active at a time)
Try QR code scanning instead (more reliable)
Ensure strong internet connection
Codes are case-insensitive: "ABC123" = "abc123"

📞 Need Help?

Can't find what you're looking for?

Use the AI Support chat (tap the help button)
Email: support@buddiesonthegreen.com
Check out our Help Center: [support page]

Feature Requests: Have an idea for improving the buddy system? We'd love to hear it! Email us at feedback@buddiesonthegreen.com