Rebuilding a badly worn playfield hole edge before fitting a protector

Where the wood around a scoop or saucer hole has been chewed away, build it back up with a two-part wood epoxy (or a lightweight filler), let it cure, then sand it to the original hole shape with a square edge. Dry-fit the hole protector, and fill any small gap left under its edge so the protector is fully supported and doesn't dent. Fiberglass-reinforced filler is an option for very deep damage.