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- Game error messages, explained
Short answer. Most game messages come from three places: a setting that is out of range, a player mix the format does not allow, or a round that is already published. Find the exact wording below.
If it doesn't work
Handicap and allowance
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "Handicap allowance must be a valid percentage." | The allowance field is not a number. | Type a whole number. |
| "Handicap allowance must be between 1% and 200%." | The allowance is 0 or above 200. | Pick a preset, or choose Gross for no strokes. |
| "[names] need(s) a handicap index before this net money game can start — otherwise they'd play scratch. Add it from the roster." | A Net game with a stake covers a player with no index. | Add the index from the roster, switch to Gross, or set the stake to zero. |
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "That money game is not certified for live play yet." | The format is still coming soon (Wolf, Banker, Hammer, Vegas, Scotch, Track Any Bet). | Choose one of the eight available games. |
| "Unknown money game format." / "Unknown game format." | The format sent was not recognised. | Reload and add the game again. |
| "Match Play uses the canonical match_play format. Reload Ringer and add it again." | An outdated screen sent an old Match Play id. | Reload the app and re-add. |
| "[name] is not available for round creation." | The format cannot be added in Create. | Add it from Manage, or choose another game. |
| "Remove the duplicate [name] game before continuing." | The same format was picked twice. | Keep one. |
| "[name] is already set up for this round — edit or remove the existing one instead." | One game per format per round. | Edit or remove the existing game. |
Players and sides
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "[name] needs at least N players." / "[name] needs exactly N players." / "[name] supports A–B players." | The field does not fit the format. | Adjust the players or pick another game. |
| "Choose both Match Play sides before adding the game." / "Choose both Nassau sides before adding the game." | A side is empty. | Fill every side. |
| "A player cannot be on both Match Play sides." / "Choose a different player for every spot." | A player is selected twice. | Pick distinct players. |
| "Match Play sides must have the same number of players." | One side has one player, the other two. | Make it 1 vs 1 or 2 vs 2. |
| "Match players must be in the same tee group. Change the players or edit Groups & tees." / "[name] players must be in the same tee group." | Head-to-head players are in different groups. | Regroup them. |
| "Set tee groups before creating a head-to-head game." | More than four players and no groups yet. | Set groups first. |
| "9-Point requires exactly 3 or 4 unique players." | Wrong player count for 9-Point. | Choose 3 or 4 different players. |
| "Sixes requires exactly 4 unique players." / "Choose four different golfers." / "Sixes requires exactly four different golfers." | Sixes needs four distinct players. | Pick four. |
| "Sixes requires an 18-hole round." | The round is not 18 holes. | Change the hole count or drop Sixes. |
| "Set tee groups before creating Team Best-Ball." / "Team Best-Ball needs at least two teams." | Teams come from groups. | Build at least two groups. |
| "Make groups first — then their players become the teams." / "Need at least N players who are in." | Manage cannot form teams yet. | Add groups or players. |
Payouts and purse
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "Check the payout plan. Percentages cannot exceed 100%, and places must be valid." | The plan's percentages or places are wrong. | Fix the plan. |
| "Payouts exceed the fixed purse. Reduce the fixed-dollar places or increase the entry." | Fixed-dollar places add up to more than the pot. | Lower the places or raise the entry. |
| "The payouts pay out $X, more than the $Y pot (N × $E entry) — $D would come from nowhere." / "…less than… — $D would be left uncollected." | A legacy purse does not match entry × field. | Make the purse equal the pot. |
Zero-winner Skins pot
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "Complete the team game before settling the zero-winner skins pot." | The pot is routed to an undecided Team Best-Ball. | Finish the team game. |
| "Assign every CTP winner before settling the zero-winner skins pot." | A Closest to the Pin has no winner recorded. | Record the winners. |
| "Choose the commissioner or banker who will hold the season jackpot." | No banker or host is set to hold the jackpot. | Set a banker. |
| "The skins pot has no funded field." / "Choose a destination for the zero-winner skins pot." / "The zero-winner skins destination did not reconcile." | Nobody funded the pot, no fallback is chosen, or the pot could not be balanced. | Check funding and the "If nobody wins a skin" setting. |
Team Best-Ball blind draw
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "Close scoring before drawing partners." | The round is still open. | Close scoring first. |
| "Add the 2-man best-ball game before drawing partners." / "Keep exactly one 2-man best-ball game on this round before drawing." | The draw needs one 2-player Team Best-Ball. | Add or reduce to one. |
| "Set this game to 2-player teams with one best ball counting." | Wrong team size or counting balls. | Change the settings. |
| "Turn on Post-round blind draw in the best-ball settings first." | The draw is off. | Turn it on. |
| "At least two eligible players are required." | Not enough finished cards. | Wait for more cards. |
| "Finish or exclude every eligible card before drawing: …" | Named cards are incomplete. | Complete or exclude them. |
| "Enter a reason for the redraw. The original draw will remain in the audit history." | A redraw needs a reason. | Type one. |
| "Results are finalized. Open an audited result correction before changing partners." | The round is published. | Reopen with a reason first. |
Permissions and lifecycle
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "Only the commissioner can add games." / "Only the commissioner can edit games." / "Only the commissioner can remove games." / "Only an organizer can add a game." | You are not the host or a co-host. | Ask the Commissioner. |
| "Give the game a name." | The name field is empty. | Enter a name. |
| "Round not found." | The round no longer exists. | Go back to the Round Hub. |
| "This round is finalized. Reopen it before adding a game." | Results are published. | Reopen the round with a reason. |
| "This round is closed. The commissioner can reopen it from the round hub to make changes." | Score writes are locked. | Reopen from the Round Hub. |
| "Add a short reason for the correction." / "This round already has an open correction." | Reopening needs a 3 to 500 character reason, and only one open correction at a time. | Add a reason, or finish the open correction. |
| "Nassau and Match Play cannot start mid-nine. Edit groups to start at Hole 1, or Hole 10 for an 18-hole Round." | A shotgun group starts inside a nine. | Change the start holes. |
Publishing final results
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|
| "No players in the field to finalize." | The round has no players. | Add players. |
| "N players haven't finished — need all 18 holes." | A per-hole game needs every card complete. | Enter the missing holes. |
| "N matches are still on the course." | A match or Nassau bet is undecided. | Finish the match. |
| "N players have no handicap index — a net game can't settle without it." | A net game cannot settle. | Add the index or switch to Gross. |
| "The 9-Point game is incomplete or its players need attention. Review the game players and scores before finalizing." | A 9-Point hole is pending or a player cannot be stroked. | Fix scores or handicaps. |
Money and settle-up messages are listed in Money error messages.
