Creating Rounds and Live Scoring Guide

Overview

Buddies on the Green allows you to track your golf rounds in real-time with powerful live scoring features. Whether you're playing solo or with buddies, the app provides a seamless experience for recording scores, sharing your round, and interacting with friends during your game.

⭐ Premium feature. Creating rounds and live scoring are part of Premium. You'll need an active Premium membership (or your free trial) to start a round and enter scores.

Key Features:

📱 Progressive Scoring - Enter scores hole-by-hole during your round
👥 Multi-Player Rounds - Play with buddies and assign different roles
🎯 Live Updates - Real-time score sharing with spectators
💬 Live Comments - Interactive commentary during rounds
📊 GROSS & NET Scoring - Automatic handicap calculations
🏆 Side Games - Nassau, Skins, Match Play, Wolf, Banker, 9 Points, Snake, Sixes, Vegas, Bingo Bango Bongo, Train

Creating a New Round

Tee Off Now (Fastest Way!) ⚡

For golfers who are at the course RIGHT NOW and want to start immediately:

Navigate to New Round Page
- Open the menu from the top bar (the hamburger icon)
- Tap "New Round"
Choose Your Course
- Search by course name or use "Nearby Courses"
- Select your course and tee box
Tap "Tee Off Now"
- Large green button at the top of the form
- Stamps the current time as your tee time and instantly creates your round with smart defaults:
  - Today's date
  - 18 holes
  - Your saved handicap settings
  - Current weather (if available)
  - Comments enabled
Start Scoring
- You're immediately taken to the progressive scoring interface
- Begin entering scores hole-by-hole
- No form filling required!

When to Use Tee Off Now:

✅ You're at the course ready to tee off
✅ Playing a standard solo 18-hole round
✅ Want to start immediately without customization
✅ Can adjust settings later if needed

When to Customize Instead:

You want to add buddies to your round
Playing 9 holes
Setting up side games (Nassau, Skins, Wolf, Banker, Vegas, etc.)
Scheduling a future round
Specific weather/course conditions to track

Choosing Your Round Type

When you start a new round, you'll see three cards:

Just Me - You're playing and tracking your own scorecard
Playing with Others - Add buddies as players, spectators or scorekeepers
Upload Scorecard - Snap a photo of a paper scorecard and let the app read the scores

Each card also has an "On a simulator" toggle — flip it on if you're playing indoors on a golf simulator so the round is tagged accordingly.

Customized "Just Me" Round

For more control over your round settings:

Start a New Round
- Open the menu from the top bar and tap "New Round"
- Choose "Just Me"
Customize
- Scroll past the Tee Off Now section
- Look for "OR customize your round" divider
Choose Your Course
- Search by course name
- Or use "Nearby Courses" to find courses near you
- Select from your Favorite Courses for quick access
Select Tees
- Choose your tee box (e.g., Blue, White, Gold, Red)
- View course rating, slope, and yardage for each tee
- Your USGA handicap index will be used for NET scoring
Round Settings (All Optional - Collapsed by Default)

Round Details:
- Date & Tee Time: Defaults to today, customize if needed
- Hole Count: 18 holes or 9 holes
- Starting Hole: Only shown for 9-hole rounds — choose the front nine or the back nine
Handicap Options:
- Toggle handicap on/off
- View your Course Handicap calculation
- Advanced: Adjust handicap allowance (defaults to 100%, which is the right allowance for a normal 2–4 player round)
Optional Features (Click to expand):
- Weather Conditions: Auto-fetched when course and date are set (midday forecast by default; add a tee time for hour-specific weather). Manual override always available.
- Footprints or Four Wheels?: Walking vs. riding
- League Round: Link to a league/tournament
- Round Comments: Enable/disable live commentary
Start Round
- Tap "Start Round" at the bottom
- You'll be taken to the progressive scoring interface

Playing with Others

Start a New Round
- Open the menu from the top bar and tap "New Round"
Select "Playing with Others"
- You'll be taken to the buddy selection screen
Invite Buddies
- Search and select buddies from your buddy list
- Or search by username/email to find new players
Assign Player Roles ⭐ Important!

Each buddy can have one of three roles:

👤 Player
- Actively playing in the round
- Can enter their own scores only
- Appears in live leaderboard
- Example: You invite 3 buddies who are playing with you
👁️ Spectator
- Can view the round live
- Cannot enter scores
- Can post live comments (if enabled)
- Perfect for friends/family following your round
- Example: Your spouse watching your tournament round
📝 Scorekeeper
- Can enter scores for ALL players
- Not playing themselves
- Useful for tournaments or when one person is tracking scores
- Example: Your buddy volunteering to keep score while you all play
Configure Round
- Select course and tees (same as a "Just Me" round)
- Set date, time, and conditions
- Enable Comments: Toggle to allow live commentary
- Add side games if desired
Review & Start
- Review all players and roles
- Tap "Start Round"

Correcting Course Rating & Slope (Premium)

Can I edit the course rating or slope? Yes — Premium members can correct a tee's Course Rating and Slope on the Edit Round screen for both planned rounds and completed rounds. (It's locked only while a round is in progress.)

Golf course data comes from our course provider, and occasionally a tee's rating/slope differs slightly from the official USGA/GHIN value. Because handicap strokes are calculated from these numbers, a small difference can sometimes change a player's course handicap by a stroke. This mismatch is often noticed after you finish and compare to an official scorecard — so corrections are allowed on completed rounds too.

How to correct it

Open the round and tap Edit (available before the round starts and after it's complete — not while it's in progress).
Find the Course Rating & Slope section under the tee selection.
Edit the Rating and/or Slope for each tee in use. If players are on different tees, each tee can be corrected separately.
Save — the round's handicap strokes and net score recalculate automatically using the corrected values.

Good to know

Premium only. Non-premium members can see the values but can't edit them.
Planned or completed rounds. Ratings lock only while a round is in progress so results can't change mid-round. Correcting a completed round recalculates its net score; if the round counts toward a league, its contribution to the standings updates too.
This round only. A correction applies to the current round — it does not change the course data for other rounds or players.
Transparent. A corrected tee is tagged "corrected" and shows the original Golf API value, with a Reset to API option to revert.
Where to find official values: your GHIN app or the course scorecard lists the official Rating / Slope for each tee.

Progressive Scoring Interface

Once your round starts, you'll use the Progressive Score screen to track your game hole-by-hole.

When you open scoring, you'll be asked which hole you're starting on — pick any hole on the course (handy for shotgun starts or if you joined the group late).

Screen Layout

Top Section:

Course name and tees displayed prominently
Current hole number (large, centered)
Par for current hole
Hole navigation - Swipe or tap to move between holes

Score Entry Section:

Score buttons - Tap to enter your score (1-10+)
Quick entry - Large buttons for common scores (par, bogey, birdie)
Par indicator - Visual reference for the hole's par

Player Cards (Multi-Player):

Each player shown in a card
Current hole score
Total score
Score to par (+3, -1, E, etc.)
"THRU X" badge showing progress

Hole Tools Row:

GPS Yardages - Distances to the front, middle and back of the green plus a satellite view of the hole. A Premium feature, and it only appears on courses we have GPS data for.
Hole Details: Yardage, handicap, description

Bottom Section:

Comments Section (if enabled)
Side Game Status (if active)

Entering Scores

Scoring on Your Own

Navigate to the hole using swipe gestures or hole selector
Tap your score (number of strokes)
Score is automatically saved
Hole indicator turns green to show completion
Swipe to next hole or tap "Next Hole"

Scoring with Others

As a Player:

Navigate to your current hole
Tap your score for that hole
Only you can enter/edit your own scores
Other players' scores appear as they enter them

As a Scorekeeper:

Navigate to any hole
Tap on a player's card
Enter their score
You can enter scores for ALL players
System tracks who entered each score

Real-Time Updates:

Scores appear instantly for all participants
Player cards animate when scores update
Leaderboard automatically re-sorts
Spectators see updates in real-time

Rare Score Celebrations 🎉

Record an Eagle, Albatross or Hole-in-One and the screen erupts with a full-screen celebration animation
Everyone following the round sees it, not just the person who entered the score

Keeping the Group Together

Once everyone in the group has a score on a hole, scoring moves on to the next hole automatically
If you've fallen behind (or wandered ahead), a "Group's on hole N" pill appears — tap it to jump straight to the hole the rest of the group is playing

GROSS vs NET Scoring

The app automatically calculates both GROSS and NET scores:

GROSS Score:

Your actual strokes taken
No handicap adjustments
Example: You shoot 92 gross

NET Score:

Your adjusted score using USGA handicap system
Course handicap applied per hole
Example: 92 gross - 18 handicap = 74 net
Net scoring follows official USGA guidelines

Viewing Both:

Toggle between GROSS and NET views using the switch at top
Leaderboards show both scoring types
Side games can use either GROSS or NET scoring

Round Info & Controls

During an active round, tap the green "Info" button (information circle icon) in the scoring toolbar to open the Round Info drawer. This panel slides in from the right and gives you quick access to round details and settings.

What's in the Info Drawer

Course & Round Details:

Course name and location
Round date and tee time
Player tees (which tee box each player is using)
"View Full Round Details" button to see the complete round page

Weather Card (if weather data is available):

Current temperature and conditions
Feels-like temperature
Wind speed (color-coded: green = calm, yellow = moderate, red = strong)
Cloud cover percentage

Handicap Info (if handicap scoring is enabled):

Handicap allowance percentage
For each player: Course Handicap, Playing Handicap, Handicap Index, and Slope

Tournament Badge (if playing a tournament round):

Tournament name and type

Round Settings

The bottom of the Info drawer has two toggle controls:

Keep Screen Awake (Wake Lock)

Prevents your device screen from dimming or going to sleep during your round
Default: ON — your screen stays awake while scoring
A green status dot shows when active, gray when inactive
When enabled, a blue "Awake" badge appears next to the course name in the round header
Your preference is saved and remembered for future rounds
Uses more battery — consider bringing a portable charger
Note: Not supported on all browsers — the drawer will show a message if unsupported

Sound Effects

Plays a sound when scores are saved (yours or other players')
Default: OFF — because playing sounds will pause background music apps (Spotify, etc.)
Toggle on if you want audio feedback when scores are entered
Your preference is saved and remembered for future rounds

Abandon Round

At the bottom of the Info drawer, a red "Abandon Round" button lets you end the round early if needed.

Settings Button (Gear Icon)

There is also a separate Settings button (gear icon) in the scoring toolbar that opens a smaller modal with the Keep Screen Awake toggle — a quick way to adjust it without opening the full Info drawer.

Live Scoring Features

Real-Time Score Sharing

When you create a multi-player round or share your round with buddies, they can follow along in real-time:

For Players in the Round:

See everyone's scores update instantly
Visual animations when scores are entered
Leaderboard automatically updates and re-sorts
"Pulse" effect highlights recent score changes

For Spectators:

Tournament-quality leaderboard view
Auto-navigation to the most recently updated hole
Color-coded scores - Birdies (green), Pars (gray), Bogeys (red)
Cascading animations when multiple scores update
Rank badges - While the round is live, positions are color-coded blue, red, white and yellow. The gold / silver / bronze medal badges appear once the round is complete.
"THRU X" indicators showing each player's progress

Accessing Spectator View:

Go to "Shared Rounds" in the app
Select an active round
See live leaderboard with real-time updates
Tap on a player to see their full scorecard

Live Comments 💬

One of the most engaging features! Comments are turned on by default for every round — solo or multi-player — and anyone with access to the round can post live commentary. The round owner can switch them off at any time.

As a Player (During Your Round)

Scenario 1: You make a great shot

You enter a birdie on hole 7
Your buddies watching at home get a notification
They comment: "Nice birdie! You're on fire! 🔥"
You see the comment between holes
Quick reply: "Thanks! Loving this course!"

Scenario 2: Friendly competition

Playing with 3 buddies
Buddy 1 eagles hole 12
Everyone comments congratulations
Trash talk ensues (all in good fun!)
Creates a live group chat atmosphere

As a Spectator (Watching a Round)

Following Your Buddy's Round:

Navigate to "Shared Rounds"
Tap on your buddy's active round
Scroll to the Comments Section at the bottom
Tap "Add Comment"
Type your message with encouragement, advice, or banter
Comment appears instantly for everyone with access

Comment Examples:

"What club did you use on hole 15?"
"You're 2 strokes behind the leader!"
"Clutch par save! 💪"
"That's 3 birdies in a row!"

Comment Features

Real-Time Updates:

Comments appear instantly for all users
Notification badges show unread comments
Timestamps on every comment

Comment Controls:

Edit: Tap the edit icon on your own comments
Delete: Remove your comments anytime
Round Owner: Can delete any comment

Privacy:

Only people invited to the round can see/post comments
Round owner can disable comments anytime
Toggle on/off even during active rounds

Smart Notifications:

Get notified when someone comments on your round
Option to mute notifications for specific rounds
Badge counters show unread comment count

When to Use Comments

Great for:

✅ Tournament rounds (create excitement)
✅ Buddy rounds (friendly banter)
✅ Practice rounds with remote coaching
✅ Family/friends following your game
✅ Post-round discussion and planning

Maybe skip for:

❌ Solo casual rounds
❌ Serious competition (stay focused)
❌ Private rounds

Player Roles in Detail

Player Role 👤

Permissions:

✅ Enter their own scores
✅ View all scores in real-time
✅ Post comments (if enabled)
✅ See full leaderboard
❌ Cannot edit other players' scores

Best for:

Active participants in the round
Buddy games where everyone tracks their own score
Tournament play

Example: You and 3 buddies are playing a round together. All 4 of you are set as "Players" so you each enter your own scores as you complete holes.

Spectator Role 👁️

Permissions:

✅ View round in real-time
✅ See live leaderboard
✅ Post comments (if enabled)
❌ Cannot enter scores
❌ Not included in leaderboard

Best for:

Friends/family following your round remotely
Tournament spectators
Coaches monitoring their players
Anyone wanting to watch without playing

Example: Your spouse is watching your club championship round from home. You add them as a "Spectator" so they can follow along, see your scores update, and leave encouraging comments.

Scorekeeper Role 📝

Permissions:

✅ Enter scores for ALL players
✅ Edit any score in the round
✅ View everything
✅ Post comments
❌ Not playing themselves
❌ Not included in leaderboard

Best for:

One person volunteering to track all scores
Official tournament scorekeepers
Someone who wants to help but not play

Example: You and 3 buddies are playing. Your 4th buddy who's injured volunteers to walk along and keep score for everyone. You designate them as "Scorekeeper" so they can enter all scores from their phone.

Changing Roles

During Round Creation:

Tap on a buddy's role badge to cycle through options
Visual indicators: Player (blue), Spectator (green), Scorekeeper (purple)

After Round Starts:

Role changes are self-service and one-way — each person changes their own role, and the round owner can't re-role anyone
A Player can switch themselves to Spectator (useful if you have to stop playing mid-round). This is blocked if you're in an active side game
Spectator → Player is not allowed. Once you're a spectator on a round, you stay one
Owners and guest players can't change role at all

Completing Your Round

Finishing the 18th Hole

Enter final scores
- Complete hole 18 for all players
- Double-check all holes are filled in
- Review scorecard for any missing scores
Tap "Save & Finish Round"
- On the last hole, the save button reads "Save & Finish Round" (or "Save & Complete Round") — tapping it is what completes the round
- Final GROSS and NET totals are calculated
- Side game winners are determined (if active)
- Round statistics are generated
Post-Round Actions
- Save & Share: Round is automatically saved
- Add Notes: Include memorable moments, highlights
- Enable Comments: Continue the conversation after the round
Multiple Scorekeepers
- When multiple scorekeepers are active, whichever one taps "Save & Finish Round" first completes the round
- Other scorekeepers see a "Round scoring is complete" banner with a "View Round Details" button
- Stats drawer remains accessible so remaining scorekeepers can still update stats
- The system prevents double-completion automatically

Viewing Completed Rounds

Your Rounds:

Go to "My Rounds" from the dashboard
Filter by date, course, or score
Tap a round to see full details
View statistics, graphs, and trends

Shared Rounds:

Navigate to "Shared Rounds"
See all rounds shared with you
Completed rounds stay accessible
Post comments even days later

Tips & Best Practices

For Better Live Scoring

During Your Round:

✅ Enter scores immediately after each hole
✅ Double-check your score before moving on
✅ Keep your phone charged (bring a portable battery)
✅ Use airplane mode to save battery between holes
✅ Enable comments for buddy rounds (more fun!)

For Spectators:

✅ Check in periodically to see updates
✅ Leave encouraging comments (players love it!)
✅ Enable notifications so you don't miss key moments
✅ Use the auto-navigation feature to follow the action

For Scorekeepers:

✅ Confirm each score with the player before entering
✅ Enter scores in order (hole 1 → 18) when possible
✅ Use the player switcher to quickly move between scorecards
✅ Save battery by only opening the app when needed
✅ If another scorekeeper completes the round first, you'll see a banner — tap "View Round Details" to share and view results

Common Scenarios

"I entered the wrong score!"

Tap on the hole with the incorrect score
Tap the correct score to replace it
Changes save automatically

"My buddy left mid-round"

They can switch themselves from Player to Spectator so they drop off the leaderboard but can still follow along
Or the round owner can remove them from the round
Leaderboard adjusts automatically

"Can I add a buddy to an active round?"

Yes! Round owner can invite additional players
New players start from current hole
Or enter scores retroactively for earlier holes

"I lost cell service during my round"

The app works offline! (PWA feature)
Scores are saved locally
Syncs automatically when you get signal back
Spectators see updates once you're back online

"Can I edit scores after the round is complete?"

Yes, round owner can edit completed rounds
Useful for correcting mistakes
Side game results recalculate automatically

Side Games Integration

When creating a round, you can add optional side games for competitive fun:

Available Side Games

Nassau

Front 9, Back 9, and Total 18 bets
Automatic winner calculation

Skins

Winner-take-all for each hole
Ties carry over to next hole
Dramatic late-round finishes

Match Play

Hole-by-hole competition
1v1 or 2v2 team format
USGA handicap allowances

Wolf

Rotating partnerships (requires 4 players)
Choose your partner or go "Lone Wolf"
Point-based scoring system

Banker

3-5 players, rotating banker role each hole
Per-hole wagering with optional multipliers
High-action game with strategic doubling

9 Points

Exactly 3 players
Points distributed 5-3-1 per hole based on scores
9 total points available each hole

Snake

3-putt penalty game
Last player holding the "snake" pays
Requires 2 or more players

Sixes

Exactly 4 players
Rotating team partnerships every 6 holes
Everyone partners with everyone

Vegas

4 players in 2v2 teams
Paired 2-digit score system (e.g., 4 and 5 = 45)
Optional birdie flip rule for dramatic swings

Bingo Bango Bongo

2-4 players
Three points per hole: first on the green (Bingo), closest to the pin once everyone's on (Bango), and first in the hole (Bongo)
Rewards good shots rather than low scores, so it levels the field between players of different abilities

Train

2 or more players
Board the train with a net par or better, then bank points hole by hole
A double bogey — or two bogeys in a row — derails you and wipes out your accumulated points, so you have to board again

Viewing Side Game Results

During the Round:

Side game status shown at bottom of score screen
Current standings update in real-time

After the Round:

Final results displayed on completion screen
Winner declared with final payouts
Complete hole-by-hole breakdown available

Notifications

What You'll Be Notified About

As Round Owner:

💬 New comments on your round
🎉 Side game milestones (won a skin, etc.)
✅ Round completion confirmation

As Player:

💬 New comments on the round
🏆 Side game updates

As Spectator:

🔔 Score updates from the players you're following
🎉 Major highlights (birdies, eagles, side game wins) — these score notifications go to spectators only, so players and the round owner aren't pinged every time a score lands
💬 New comments in the thread

Managing Notifications

Per-Round Settings:

Mute a specific round's notifications
Unmute when you want updates again
Applies to both scores and comments

App-Wide Settings:

Go to Settings → Notifications
Toggle push notifications on/off
Customize which events trigger alerts

Troubleshooting

"I don't see the live updates"

Check:

✅ You have internet connection
✅ Round is set to "shared" (not private)
✅ You're invited to the round (player, scorekeeper, or spectator)
✅ Refresh the page (pull down on mobile)

Fix:

Close and reopen the round
Check your role permissions
Make sure the round owner didn't remove you

"Comments section is missing"

Reason:

Comments are on by default for every round, so if the section is missing the round owner has turned them off

Fix:

Ask the round owner to switch comments back on in the round settings

"I can't enter a score"

Reason:

You might be assigned as a "Spectator" (view-only)
The round might be completed/locked
Another scorekeeper may have already completed the round (you'll see a "Round scoring is complete" banner)
Internet connection required for shared rounds

Fix:

Check your role (should be "Player" or "Scorekeeper"). Note that a spectator can't be switched back to a player — you'd need to be added to a new round as a player
Make sure round is still active (not completed)
If you see the completed banner, tap "View Round Details" to proceed

"Score entered twice for the same hole"

Reason:

Multiple people have scorekeeper permissions
Someone editing old scores

Fix:

Only one person should enter scores per player
Agree on the correct score with the player, then tap the hole and enter it — the latest score entered is the one that counts

Advanced Features

Handicap Integration

Official GHIN Handicap (Recommended):

Manually enter your USGA GHIN handicap index (e.g., 12.8)
Go to your Profile → "Manage Handicap Index" → Enter your handicap
Update your handicap as it changes through GHIN
Note: BOTG does NOT automatically sync with or post to GHIN
You must manually post rounds to GHIN separately through their website/app

Handicap Trend:

Every time you update your handicap index (manually or via Recalculate), the new value is saved to a history
Open Profile → "Manage Handicap Index" to see a Handicap Trend chart plus a list of recent updates with ▲/▼ change indicators (a downward move means your handicap improved)
The trend keeps your most recent updates so you can see how your index has moved over the season

App-Calculated Handicap:

If you don't have a GHIN, the app calculates a handicap for you
Based on your best rounds — you only need one eligible round (a round with course rating/slope data) to get a number; it can't calculate anything until you've played at least one
Uses USGA-compliant calculation methodology
Automatically updates as you play more rounds
Click "Recalculate Handicap" in your profile to update

Priority for NET Scoring:

If you manually enter a GHIN handicap, that value is used for all NET calculations
If no manual handicap is entered, the app-calculated handicap is used
Keep your manual GHIN handicap updated for accurate NET scores

Statistics & Insights

After completing rounds, view detailed stats:

Scoring:

Average score (gross/net)
Scoring average by hole
Par 3, 4, 5 averages
Front 9 vs Back 9 performance

Trends:

Score progression over time
Best/worst holes
Improvement tracking
Course-specific performance

Achievements:

First birdie, eagle, par streak
Best round by course
Longest drive, closest to pin (manual entry)
Side game win records

FAQ

Q: Can I play a round without buddies? A: Yes! Choose "Just Me" when creating a new round.

Q: Do spectators need to be buddies? A: Yes, you can only add buddies (or search for users) to invite as spectators.

Q: Can I share a round after I've started it? A: Yes! Round owner can add players/spectators anytime during the round.

Q: What if I forget to enter a score? A: No problem! Go back to that hole and enter it. The leaderboard will update.

Q: Can I delete a round? A: Yes. Open the round from "My Rounds" to its detail page and tap Delete Round in the actions row. (There's no delete option on the rounds list itself.)

Q: Do side games cost extra? A: No! Side games are included with your subscription. Track bets for fun or real money (honor system).

Q: Can I create a round without starting it immediately? A: Yes! Set a future date/time when creating the round. It will show a "Planned" status until you start it.

Q: Can I post comments on old rounds? A: Yes! If comments are enabled, you can comment on completed rounds indefinitely.

Q: Does offline mode work for all features? A: Mostly yes. Score entry works offline and syncs later. Live updates and comments require internet.

Related Guides

Buddy System - Add buddies and manage your network
Course Finder - Find and favorite golf courses
Side Games Overview - Complete side games guide
Spectator View - Following a round live
GPS Yardages - Distances and hole maps during your round

Need Help?

In-App Support:

Use the AI Support Chatbot (tap the HELP tab on mobile, or chat icon on desktop)
Ask questions like:
- "How do I create a round?"
- "What's the difference between player and scorekeeper?"
- "How do I enable comments on my round?"

Contact:

Email: support@buddiesonthegreen.com
Include your round ID for specific round issues
Screenshots are helpful for troubleshooting

Creating Rounds and Live Scoring Guide

Overview

⭐ Premium feature. Creating rounds and live scoring are part of Premium. You'll need an active Premium membership (or your free trial) to start a round and enter scores.

Key Features:

📱 Progressive Scoring - Enter scores hole-by-hole during your round
👥 Multi-Player Rounds - Play with buddies and assign different roles
🎯 Live Updates - Real-time score sharing with spectators
💬 Live Comments - Interactive commentary during rounds
📊 GROSS & NET Scoring - Automatic handicap calculations
🏆 Side Games - Nassau, Skins, Match Play, Wolf, Banker, 9 Points, Snake, Sixes, Vegas, Bingo Bango Bongo, Train

Creating a New Round

Tee Off Now (Fastest Way!) ⚡

For golfers who are at the course RIGHT NOW and want to start immediately:

Navigate to New Round Page
- Open the menu from the top bar (the hamburger icon)
- Tap "New Round"
Choose Your Course
- Search by course name or use "Nearby Courses"
- Select your course and tee box
Tap "Tee Off Now"
- Large green button at the top of the form
- Stamps the current time as your tee time and instantly creates your round with smart defaults:
  - Today's date
  - 18 holes
  - Your saved handicap settings
  - Current weather (if available)
  - Comments enabled
Start Scoring
- You're immediately taken to the progressive scoring interface
- Begin entering scores hole-by-hole
- No form filling required!

When to Use Tee Off Now:

✅ You're at the course ready to tee off
✅ Playing a standard solo 18-hole round
✅ Want to start immediately without customization
✅ Can adjust settings later if needed

When to Customize Instead:

You want to add buddies to your round
Playing 9 holes
Setting up side games (Nassau, Skins, Wolf, Banker, Vegas, etc.)
Scheduling a future round
Specific weather/course conditions to track

Choosing Your Round Type

When you start a new round, you'll see three cards:

Just Me - You're playing and tracking your own scorecard
Playing with Others - Add buddies as players, spectators or scorekeepers
Upload Scorecard - Snap a photo of a paper scorecard and let the app read the scores

Each card also has an "On a simulator" toggle — flip it on if you're playing indoors on a golf simulator so the round is tagged accordingly.

Customized "Just Me" Round

For more control over your round settings:

Start a New Round
- Open the menu from the top bar and tap "New Round"
- Choose "Just Me"
Customize
- Scroll past the Tee Off Now section
- Look for "OR customize your round" divider
Choose Your Course
- Search by course name
- Or use "Nearby Courses" to find courses near you
- Select from your Favorite Courses for quick access
Select Tees
- Choose your tee box (e.g., Blue, White, Gold, Red)
- View course rating, slope, and yardage for each tee
- Your USGA handicap index will be used for NET scoring
Round Settings (All Optional - Collapsed by Default)

Round Details:
- Date & Tee Time: Defaults to today, customize if needed
- Hole Count: 18 holes or 9 holes
- Starting Hole: Only shown for 9-hole rounds — choose the front nine or the back nine
Handicap Options:
- Toggle handicap on/off
- View your Course Handicap calculation
- Advanced: Adjust handicap allowance (defaults to 100%, which is the right allowance for a normal 2–4 player round)
Optional Features (Click to expand):
- Weather Conditions: Auto-fetched when course and date are set (midday forecast by default; add a tee time for hour-specific weather). Manual override always available.
- Footprints or Four Wheels?: Walking vs. riding
- League Round: Link to a league/tournament
- Round Comments: Enable/disable live commentary
Start Round
- Tap "Start Round" at the bottom
- You'll be taken to the progressive scoring interface

Playing with Others

Start a New Round
- Open the menu from the top bar and tap "New Round"
Select "Playing with Others"
- You'll be taken to the buddy selection screen
Invite Buddies
- Search and select buddies from your buddy list
- Or search by username/email to find new players
Assign Player Roles ⭐ Important!

Each buddy can have one of three roles:

👤 Player
- Actively playing in the round
- Can enter their own scores only
- Appears in live leaderboard
- Example: You invite 3 buddies who are playing with you
👁️ Spectator
- Can view the round live
- Cannot enter scores
- Can post live comments (if enabled)
- Perfect for friends/family following your round
- Example: Your spouse watching your tournament round
📝 Scorekeeper
- Can enter scores for ALL players
- Not playing themselves
- Useful for tournaments or when one person is tracking scores
- Example: Your buddy volunteering to keep score while you all play
Configure Round
- Select course and tees (same as a "Just Me" round)
- Set date, time, and conditions
- Enable Comments: Toggle to allow live commentary
- Add side games if desired
Review & Start
- Review all players and roles
- Tap "Start Round"

Correcting Course Rating & Slope (Premium)

How to correct it

Open the round and tap Edit (available before the round starts and after it's complete — not while it's in progress).
Find the Course Rating & Slope section under the tee selection.
Edit the Rating and/or Slope for each tee in use. If players are on different tees, each tee can be corrected separately.
Save — the round's handicap strokes and net score recalculate automatically using the corrected values.

Good to know

Premium only. Non-premium members can see the values but can't edit them.
Planned or completed rounds. Ratings lock only while a round is in progress so results can't change mid-round. Correcting a completed round recalculates its net score; if the round counts toward a league, its contribution to the standings updates too.
This round only. A correction applies to the current round — it does not change the course data for other rounds or players.
Transparent. A corrected tee is tagged "corrected" and shows the original Golf API value, with a Reset to API option to revert.
Where to find official values: your GHIN app or the course scorecard lists the official Rating / Slope for each tee.

Progressive Scoring Interface

Once your round starts, you'll use the Progressive Score screen to track your game hole-by-hole.

When you open scoring, you'll be asked which hole you're starting on — pick any hole on the course (handy for shotgun starts or if you joined the group late).

Screen Layout

Top Section:

Course name and tees displayed prominently
Current hole number (large, centered)
Par for current hole
Hole navigation - Swipe or tap to move between holes

Score Entry Section:

Score buttons - Tap to enter your score (1-10+)
Quick entry - Large buttons for common scores (par, bogey, birdie)
Par indicator - Visual reference for the hole's par

Player Cards (Multi-Player):

Each player shown in a card
Current hole score
Total score
Score to par (+3, -1, E, etc.)
"THRU X" badge showing progress

Hole Tools Row:

GPS Yardages - Distances to the front, middle and back of the green plus a satellite view of the hole. A Premium feature, and it only appears on courses we have GPS data for.
Hole Details: Yardage, handicap, description

Bottom Section:

Comments Section (if enabled)
Side Game Status (if active)

Entering Scores

Scoring on Your Own

Navigate to the hole using swipe gestures or hole selector
Tap your score (number of strokes)
Score is automatically saved
Hole indicator turns green to show completion
Swipe to next hole or tap "Next Hole"

Scoring with Others

As a Player:

Navigate to your current hole
Tap your score for that hole
Only you can enter/edit your own scores
Other players' scores appear as they enter them

As a Scorekeeper:

Navigate to any hole
Tap on a player's card
Enter their score
You can enter scores for ALL players
System tracks who entered each score

Real-Time Updates:

Scores appear instantly for all participants
Player cards animate when scores update
Leaderboard automatically re-sorts
Spectators see updates in real-time

Rare Score Celebrations 🎉

Record an Eagle, Albatross or Hole-in-One and the screen erupts with a full-screen celebration animation
Everyone following the round sees it, not just the person who entered the score

Keeping the Group Together

Once everyone in the group has a score on a hole, scoring moves on to the next hole automatically
If you've fallen behind (or wandered ahead), a "Group's on hole N" pill appears — tap it to jump straight to the hole the rest of the group is playing

GROSS vs NET Scoring

The app automatically calculates both GROSS and NET scores:

GROSS Score:

Your actual strokes taken
No handicap adjustments
Example: You shoot 92 gross

NET Score:

Your adjusted score using USGA handicap system
Course handicap applied per hole
Example: 92 gross - 18 handicap = 74 net
Net scoring follows official USGA guidelines

Viewing Both:

Toggle between GROSS and NET views using the switch at top
Leaderboards show both scoring types
Side games can use either GROSS or NET scoring

Round Info & Controls

What's in the Info Drawer

Course & Round Details:

Course name and location
Round date and tee time
Player tees (which tee box each player is using)
"View Full Round Details" button to see the complete round page

Weather Card (if weather data is available):

Current temperature and conditions
Feels-like temperature
Wind speed (color-coded: green = calm, yellow = moderate, red = strong)
Cloud cover percentage

Handicap Info (if handicap scoring is enabled):

Handicap allowance percentage
For each player: Course Handicap, Playing Handicap, Handicap Index, and Slope

Tournament Badge (if playing a tournament round):

Tournament name and type

Round Settings

The bottom of the Info drawer has two toggle controls:

Keep Screen Awake (Wake Lock)

Prevents your device screen from dimming or going to sleep during your round
Default: ON — your screen stays awake while scoring
A green status dot shows when active, gray when inactive
When enabled, a blue "Awake" badge appears next to the course name in the round header
Your preference is saved and remembered for future rounds
Uses more battery — consider bringing a portable charger
Note: Not supported on all browsers — the drawer will show a message if unsupported

Sound Effects

Plays a sound when scores are saved (yours or other players')
Default: OFF — because playing sounds will pause background music apps (Spotify, etc.)
Toggle on if you want audio feedback when scores are entered
Your preference is saved and remembered for future rounds

Abandon Round

At the bottom of the Info drawer, a red "Abandon Round" button lets you end the round early if needed.

Settings Button (Gear Icon)

Live Scoring Features

Real-Time Score Sharing

When you create a multi-player round or share your round with buddies, they can follow along in real-time:

For Players in the Round:

See everyone's scores update instantly
Visual animations when scores are entered
Leaderboard automatically updates and re-sorts
"Pulse" effect highlights recent score changes

For Spectators:

Tournament-quality leaderboard view
Auto-navigation to the most recently updated hole
Color-coded scores - Birdies (green), Pars (gray), Bogeys (red)
Cascading animations when multiple scores update
Rank badges - While the round is live, positions are color-coded blue, red, white and yellow. The gold / silver / bronze medal badges appear once the round is complete.
"THRU X" indicators showing each player's progress

Accessing Spectator View:

Go to "Shared Rounds" in the app
Select an active round
See live leaderboard with real-time updates
Tap on a player to see their full scorecard

Live Comments 💬

As a Player (During Your Round)

Scenario 1: You make a great shot

You enter a birdie on hole 7
Your buddies watching at home get a notification
They comment: "Nice birdie! You're on fire! 🔥"
You see the comment between holes
Quick reply: "Thanks! Loving this course!"

Scenario 2: Friendly competition

Playing with 3 buddies
Buddy 1 eagles hole 12
Everyone comments congratulations
Trash talk ensues (all in good fun!)
Creates a live group chat atmosphere

As a Spectator (Watching a Round)

Following Your Buddy's Round:

Navigate to "Shared Rounds"
Tap on your buddy's active round
Scroll to the Comments Section at the bottom
Tap "Add Comment"
Type your message with encouragement, advice, or banter
Comment appears instantly for everyone with access

Comment Examples:

"What club did you use on hole 15?"
"You're 2 strokes behind the leader!"
"Clutch par save! 💪"
"That's 3 birdies in a row!"

Comment Features

Real-Time Updates:

Comments appear instantly for all users
Notification badges show unread comments
Timestamps on every comment

Comment Controls:

Edit: Tap the edit icon on your own comments
Delete: Remove your comments anytime
Round Owner: Can delete any comment

Privacy:

Only people invited to the round can see/post comments
Round owner can disable comments anytime
Toggle on/off even during active rounds

Smart Notifications:

Get notified when someone comments on your round
Option to mute notifications for specific rounds
Badge counters show unread comment count

When to Use Comments

Great for:

✅ Tournament rounds (create excitement)
✅ Buddy rounds (friendly banter)
✅ Practice rounds with remote coaching
✅ Family/friends following your game
✅ Post-round discussion and planning

Maybe skip for:

❌ Solo casual rounds
❌ Serious competition (stay focused)
❌ Private rounds

Player Roles in Detail

Player Role 👤

Permissions:

✅ Enter their own scores
✅ View all scores in real-time
✅ Post comments (if enabled)
✅ See full leaderboard
❌ Cannot edit other players' scores

Best for:

Active participants in the round
Buddy games where everyone tracks their own score
Tournament play

Example: You and 3 buddies are playing a round together. All 4 of you are set as "Players" so you each enter your own scores as you complete holes.

Spectator Role 👁️

Permissions:

✅ View round in real-time
✅ See live leaderboard
✅ Post comments (if enabled)
❌ Cannot enter scores
❌ Not included in leaderboard

Best for:

Friends/family following your round remotely
Tournament spectators
Coaches monitoring their players
Anyone wanting to watch without playing

Example: Your spouse is watching your club championship round from home. You add them as a "Spectator" so they can follow along, see your scores update, and leave encouraging comments.

Scorekeeper Role 📝

Permissions:

✅ Enter scores for ALL players
✅ Edit any score in the round
✅ View everything
✅ Post comments
❌ Not playing themselves
❌ Not included in leaderboard

Best for:

One person volunteering to track all scores
Official tournament scorekeepers
Someone who wants to help but not play

Changing Roles

During Round Creation:

Tap on a buddy's role badge to cycle through options
Visual indicators: Player (blue), Spectator (green), Scorekeeper (purple)

After Round Starts:

Role changes are self-service and one-way — each person changes their own role, and the round owner can't re-role anyone
A Player can switch themselves to Spectator (useful if you have to stop playing mid-round). This is blocked if you're in an active side game
Spectator → Player is not allowed. Once you're a spectator on a round, you stay one
Owners and guest players can't change role at all

Completing Your Round

Finishing the 18th Hole

Enter final scores
- Complete hole 18 for all players
- Double-check all holes are filled in
- Review scorecard for any missing scores
Tap "Save & Finish Round"
- On the last hole, the save button reads "Save & Finish Round" (or "Save & Complete Round") — tapping it is what completes the round
- Final GROSS and NET totals are calculated
- Side game winners are determined (if active)
- Round statistics are generated
Post-Round Actions
- Save & Share: Round is automatically saved
- Add Notes: Include memorable moments, highlights
- Enable Comments: Continue the conversation after the round
Multiple Scorekeepers
- When multiple scorekeepers are active, whichever one taps "Save & Finish Round" first completes the round
- Other scorekeepers see a "Round scoring is complete" banner with a "View Round Details" button
- Stats drawer remains accessible so remaining scorekeepers can still update stats
- The system prevents double-completion automatically

Viewing Completed Rounds

Your Rounds:

Go to "My Rounds" from the dashboard
Filter by date, course, or score
Tap a round to see full details
View statistics, graphs, and trends

Shared Rounds:

Navigate to "Shared Rounds"
See all rounds shared with you
Completed rounds stay accessible
Post comments even days later

Tips & Best Practices

For Better Live Scoring

During Your Round:

✅ Enter scores immediately after each hole
✅ Double-check your score before moving on
✅ Keep your phone charged (bring a portable battery)
✅ Use airplane mode to save battery between holes
✅ Enable comments for buddy rounds (more fun!)

For Spectators:

✅ Check in periodically to see updates
✅ Leave encouraging comments (players love it!)
✅ Enable notifications so you don't miss key moments
✅ Use the auto-navigation feature to follow the action

For Scorekeepers:

✅ Confirm each score with the player before entering
✅ Enter scores in order (hole 1 → 18) when possible
✅ Use the player switcher to quickly move between scorecards
✅ Save battery by only opening the app when needed
✅ If another scorekeeper completes the round first, you'll see a banner — tap "View Round Details" to share and view results

Common Scenarios

"I entered the wrong score!"

Tap on the hole with the incorrect score
Tap the correct score to replace it
Changes save automatically

"My buddy left mid-round"

They can switch themselves from Player to Spectator so they drop off the leaderboard but can still follow along
Or the round owner can remove them from the round
Leaderboard adjusts automatically

"Can I add a buddy to an active round?"

Yes! Round owner can invite additional players
New players start from current hole
Or enter scores retroactively for earlier holes

"I lost cell service during my round"

The app works offline! (PWA feature)
Scores are saved locally
Syncs automatically when you get signal back
Spectators see updates once you're back online

"Can I edit scores after the round is complete?"

Yes, round owner can edit completed rounds
Useful for correcting mistakes
Side game results recalculate automatically

Side Games Integration

When creating a round, you can add optional side games for competitive fun:

Available Side Games

Nassau

Front 9, Back 9, and Total 18 bets
Automatic winner calculation

Skins

Winner-take-all for each hole
Ties carry over to next hole
Dramatic late-round finishes

Match Play

Hole-by-hole competition
1v1 or 2v2 team format
USGA handicap allowances

Wolf

Rotating partnerships (requires 4 players)
Choose your partner or go "Lone Wolf"
Point-based scoring system

Banker

3-5 players, rotating banker role each hole
Per-hole wagering with optional multipliers
High-action game with strategic doubling

9 Points

Exactly 3 players
Points distributed 5-3-1 per hole based on scores
9 total points available each hole

Snake

3-putt penalty game
Last player holding the "snake" pays
Requires 2 or more players

Sixes

Exactly 4 players
Rotating team partnerships every 6 holes
Everyone partners with everyone

Vegas

4 players in 2v2 teams
Paired 2-digit score system (e.g., 4 and 5 = 45)
Optional birdie flip rule for dramatic swings

Bingo Bango Bongo

2-4 players
Three points per hole: first on the green (Bingo), closest to the pin once everyone's on (Bango), and first in the hole (Bongo)
Rewards good shots rather than low scores, so it levels the field between players of different abilities

Train

2 or more players
Board the train with a net par or better, then bank points hole by hole
A double bogey — or two bogeys in a row — derails you and wipes out your accumulated points, so you have to board again

Viewing Side Game Results

During the Round:

Side game status shown at bottom of score screen
Current standings update in real-time

After the Round:

Final results displayed on completion screen
Winner declared with final payouts
Complete hole-by-hole breakdown available

Notifications

What You'll Be Notified About

As Round Owner:

💬 New comments on your round
🎉 Side game milestones (won a skin, etc.)
✅ Round completion confirmation

As Player:

💬 New comments on the round
🏆 Side game updates

As Spectator:

🔔 Score updates from the players you're following
🎉 Major highlights (birdies, eagles, side game wins) — these score notifications go to spectators only, so players and the round owner aren't pinged every time a score lands
💬 New comments in the thread

Managing Notifications

Per-Round Settings:

Mute a specific round's notifications
Unmute when you want updates again
Applies to both scores and comments

App-Wide Settings:

Go to Settings → Notifications
Toggle push notifications on/off
Customize which events trigger alerts

Troubleshooting

"I don't see the live updates"

Check:

✅ You have internet connection
✅ Round is set to "shared" (not private)
✅ You're invited to the round (player, scorekeeper, or spectator)
✅ Refresh the page (pull down on mobile)

Fix:

Close and reopen the round
Check your role permissions
Make sure the round owner didn't remove you

"Comments section is missing"

Reason:

Comments are on by default for every round, so if the section is missing the round owner has turned them off

Fix:

Ask the round owner to switch comments back on in the round settings

"I can't enter a score"

Reason:

You might be assigned as a "Spectator" (view-only)
The round might be completed/locked
Another scorekeeper may have already completed the round (you'll see a "Round scoring is complete" banner)
Internet connection required for shared rounds

Fix:

Check your role (should be "Player" or "Scorekeeper"). Note that a spectator can't be switched back to a player — you'd need to be added to a new round as a player
Make sure round is still active (not completed)
If you see the completed banner, tap "View Round Details" to proceed

"Score entered twice for the same hole"

Reason:

Multiple people have scorekeeper permissions
Someone editing old scores

Fix:

Only one person should enter scores per player
Agree on the correct score with the player, then tap the hole and enter it — the latest score entered is the one that counts

Advanced Features

Handicap Integration

Official GHIN Handicap (Recommended):

Manually enter your USGA GHIN handicap index (e.g., 12.8)
Go to your Profile → "Manage Handicap Index" → Enter your handicap
Update your handicap as it changes through GHIN
Note: BOTG does NOT automatically sync with or post to GHIN
You must manually post rounds to GHIN separately through their website/app

Handicap Trend:

Every time you update your handicap index (manually or via Recalculate), the new value is saved to a history
Open Profile → "Manage Handicap Index" to see a Handicap Trend chart plus a list of recent updates with ▲/▼ change indicators (a downward move means your handicap improved)
The trend keeps your most recent updates so you can see how your index has moved over the season

App-Calculated Handicap:

If you don't have a GHIN, the app calculates a handicap for you
Based on your best rounds — you only need one eligible round (a round with course rating/slope data) to get a number; it can't calculate anything until you've played at least one
Uses USGA-compliant calculation methodology
Automatically updates as you play more rounds
Click "Recalculate Handicap" in your profile to update

Priority for NET Scoring:

If you manually enter a GHIN handicap, that value is used for all NET calculations
If no manual handicap is entered, the app-calculated handicap is used
Keep your manual GHIN handicap updated for accurate NET scores

Statistics & Insights

After completing rounds, view detailed stats:

Scoring:

Average score (gross/net)
Scoring average by hole
Par 3, 4, 5 averages
Front 9 vs Back 9 performance

Trends:

Score progression over time
Best/worst holes
Improvement tracking
Course-specific performance

Achievements:

First birdie, eagle, par streak
Best round by course
Longest drive, closest to pin (manual entry)
Side game win records