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Push Notifications

Stay in the loop with real-time push notifications for buddy requests, messages, round invitations, score updates, and more.

Overview

Buddies on the Green sends push notifications to your device so you never miss important updates. Notifications work on iPhone (PWA), Android, and desktop browsers.

What you'll be notified about:

  • New buddy requests and acceptances
  • Direct messages and group chat messages
  • Round invitations and shared rounds
  • Score achievements during live spectating
  • League invitations and tournament updates
  • Event invitations

Platform Support

PlatformHow It WorksRequirement
iPhone / iPadWeb Push (VAPID)iOS 16.4+, app installed as PWA via "Add to Home Screen"
AndroidFirebase Cloud MessagingChrome browser or PWA install
Desktop (Chrome)FCM + Web PushService Worker support
Desktop (Safari)Web Push (VAPID)Installed as PWA

Important for iPhone users: Push notifications only work when the app is installed as a PWA from Safari. They do NOT work from a regular browser tab. See the PWA Installation Guide for setup instructions.

Enabling Notifications

First-Time Setup

When you first install the PWA and log in, a green banner appears at the bottom of the screen:

  • Tap "Enable" to subscribe to push notifications
  • Tap "Not Now" to dismiss (the prompt returns after 30 days)

Profile Settings

You can manage notifications anytime from your Profile:

  1. Go to your Profile page
  2. Tap Edit Profile
  3. Find the Push Notifications section and toggle it on or off

The toggle shows your current status (Enabled / Disabled). Turning it off stops push on that device — your phone and your laptop are separate subscriptions, so switch it off on each one you want silenced.

Not seeing the "Enable notifications" prompt? It only appears inside the installed app (added to your Home Screen), not in a regular browser tab.

Notification Types

Buddy Notifications

  • New buddy request: "[Name] wants to connect with you!"
  • Request accepted: You're told when someone accepts. Declines are silent — nobody is notified when a request is turned down.

Message Notifications

  • Direct message: "Message from [Name]: [preview]..." (skipped if you're currently online)
  • Group chat: "[Group Name]: [Name]: [preview]..." (throttled to max once per 2 minutes per group to prevent spam)

Round Notifications

  • Added to a round: "Added to Round" — "[Name] added you to a round at [Course]". Being added is not an invitation you accept or decline; you're simply on the round.
  • Shared round: "[Name] shared a round at [Course] with you!"
  • Score achievements (while spectating): Birdie, Eagle, Albatross, Condor and Hole-in-One — and, on the other end, Triple Bogey and a "big number" (+4 or worse).
  • New comments (while spectating): When you're watching a shared round as a spectator, you'll get a notification when there's new commentary — e.g. "3 new comments on [Course]" — so you don't have to keep the round open the whole time. These are grouped (roughly one update every 15 minutes rather than a ping per comment), and a direct reply to your own comment notifies you right away if you're one of the spectators receiving them. Turn them off per round: open the round's Live Comments panel and tap the 🔔 bell (the bell is shown to spectators, who are the ones receiving these) in the header to mute alerts for just that round (they're on by default). Players and the round owner don't get these — they're already in the round.

Tournament Notifications

These apply to every tournament format — Individual, Scramble, Best Ball, Shamble, Chapman and Ryder Cup — not just Ryder Cup.

  • Ryder Cup invitation: "[Name] invited you to [Tournament]"
  • Pairings ready: "Pairings Ready! Check your matchups!"
  • Tournament started: "[Tournament] Has Started!"
  • Tournament completed: "Final Results - [Team] wins!"
  • Organizer message: a broadcast the organizer sends to everyone in the tournament

League Notifications

  • League invitation: "[Name] invited you to join a league"
  • Join request: "[Name] requested to join your league"
  • Tournament started: "[Tournament] is Live! Play anytime through [date]."

Event Notifications

  • Event invitation: "[Name] invited you to an event: [Event Title]"
  • Event reminders: one the day before ("Tomorrow: [Event Title]") and one about 2 hours before it starts. Cancelled events don't send them, and they only go to people who are registered.
  • Round completed and guest invitations also arrive as push.

Email Notifications

In addition to push notifications, the app also sends email notifications for major updates. You can control these separately:

  1. Go to your Profile page
  2. Scroll to Email Notifications
  3. Toggle the master switch on or off
  4. Fine-tune individual categories:
    • Buddy requests
    • Messages
    • Other updates

Smart Notification Behaviors

  • Online detection: Direct message notifications are skipped if you're currently active in the app
  • Group throttling: Group chat notifications are limited to once per 2 minutes per group during active conversations
  • Group muting: You can mute individual group chats
  • Deep linking: Tapping a notification takes you directly to the relevant screen (buddy requests, message thread, round, etc.)

Common Questions

Q: Why am I not getting notifications on my iPhone? A: Push notifications on iPhone require the app to be installed as a PWA via Safari's "Add to Home Screen." They don't work from a regular browser tab. You also need iOS 16.4 or later.

Q: Can I turn off notifications for specific things? A: You can toggle push notifications on or off per device from Profile → Edit Profile → Push Notifications. Switching them off stops every kind of push on that device, and it stays off until you turn it back on. Email notifications have granular controls for buddy requests, messages, and other updates. Individual group chats can be muted.

Q: Do notifications work when the app is closed? A: Yes. Push notifications are delivered to your device even when the app is not open, as long as notifications are enabled.

Q: Why did I stop getting group chat notifications? A: Group chat notifications are throttled to once per 2 minutes per group to prevent notification spam during active conversations.

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