Privacy Policy

Your privacy matters to us. This Privacy Policy explains what information Golfdrive.org ("we", "us", "our") collects when you visit golfdrive.org (the "Site"), how we use it, and the rights you have.

The short version: we collect as little as possible. We do not require an account, we do not sell your personal information, and the only cookies the Site uses are Google Analytics cookies, which are set only if you accept them.

1. Who we are

Golfdrive.org is an independent golf information website. For privacy purposes, we are the "controller" of personal information collected through the Site. You can reach us at hello@golfdrive.org.

2. Information we collect

Information collected automatically

Server and security logs. Like almost every website, our web server and hosting provider automatically record technical information when you visit. This includes your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, the page you requested, the referring page, and the date and time of the request. These logs are used to deliver the Site, keep it secure, prevent abuse and diagnose technical problems.
Analytics data. We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the Site — for example, which pages are viewed, how long visits last, roughly which country or region visitors come from, the type of device and browser used, and how visitors arrived (such as from a search engine). Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies and processes your IP address to provide this information, but it does not log or store IP addresses, and we do not use it to identify you personally. See section 3.
Outbound link clicks. When you click a link that passes through our /go/ redirect (used for retailer and affiliate links), we record the date and time, the link that was clicked and the page on our Site you clicked from. We do not record your IP address or any other personal identifier with these click records. We use them only in aggregate, to understand which recommendations readers find useful.

Information you give us

When you contact us by email, we receive your email address, your name if you include it, and the contents of your message.

We do not ask for, and ask you not to send us, sensitive personal information such as health, financial or identity documents.

Information we do not collect

The Site has no user accounts, comment system, payment processing or contact forms that store data. We do not knowingly collect information that identifies you beyond what is described above.

3. Cookies and similar technologies

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, to measure how the Site is used. Google Analytics sets first-party cookies (with names beginning _ga) that typically last up to two years and are used to distinguish visitors and sessions. We use the aggregated reports only to improve our content; we have not enabled Google Analytics advertising features, and we do not use advertising trackers or fingerprinting.

Analytics cookies are only set if you agree. When you first visit, a banner asks whether you accept analytics cookies. Until you accept, Google Analytics is not loaded at all and no information is sent to Google. If you reject, we do not ask again for 12 months. We remember your choice in your browser's local storage (not in a cookie) under the name gd-cookie-consent. You can change your mind at any time using the Cookie settings link at the bottom of every page; withdrawing consent stops analytics and deletes the _ga cookies from your browser.

You can also opt out of Google Analytics by blocking or deleting cookies in your browser, or by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on provided by Google. For more information about how Google uses data, see Google's privacy policy and its page on how Google uses information from sites that use its services.

Retailers and affiliate partners. When you click through to a retailer, that retailer (or the affiliate network it uses) may set cookies on its own website to record that you arrived from Golfdrive.org, so that a purchase can be credited to us. Those cookies are governed by the retailer's or network's own privacy policy. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
Embedded videos. Some articles may embed YouTube videos using YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com). In this mode, YouTube says it does not store information about you to personalise your experience unless you play the video. When you press play, Google's privacy policy applies.

If we introduce advertising or other cookies in the future, we will update this policy before doing so and, where the law requires it, ask for your consent first.

You can control and delete cookies at any time through your browser settings.

4. How we use information

We use the limited information we collect to:

operate, maintain and secure the Site;
detect, prevent and respond to fraud, abuse, spam and security incidents;
understand in aggregate which articles and recommendations are useful, so we can improve our content;
reply to your messages and requests;
comply with our legal obligations.

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that has legal or similarly significant effects on you.

5. Legal bases for processing (UK and EEA visitors)

If you are in the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we rely on the following legal bases:

Legitimate interests: to run, secure and improve the Site (server logs and aggregate click data), where these interests are not overridden by your rights;
Consent: for analytics cookies, which are only set after you accept them through our cookie banner. You can withdraw consent at any time via the Cookie settings link;
Consent or legitimate interests: to respond to messages you choose to send us;
Legal obligation: where we must keep or disclose information to comply with the law.

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information, and we do not "share" it for cross-context behavioural advertising.

We may share information only with:

Service providers who help us run the Site, such as our web hosting provider, our email provider and Google (for Google Analytics). They process data on our behalf and only as needed to provide their services.
Authorities or other parties, where required by law or necessary to protect our rights, the safety of others, or to investigate fraud or security issues.
A successor organisation, if Golfdrive.org is ever sold or transferred. In that case, this policy will continue to apply to information collected under it.

7. How long we keep information

Server logs: normally kept for no longer than 90 days, unless needed to investigate a security incident.
Outbound click records: kept in aggregate form for as long as they are useful for improving our content. They contain no personal identifiers.
Analytics data: Google Analytics retains user-level data only for the retention period set in our account (no longer than 14 months), after which it is deleted automatically. Aggregated reports may be kept longer.
Emails: kept for as long as needed to deal with your enquiry and any follow-up, then deleted, usually within 24 months.

8. International transfers

Our service providers may store or process information in countries other than your own. Where we transfer personal information from the UK or EEA, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses.

9. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect information. These include HTTPS encryption, restricted server access and minimising the data we collect in the first place. No website can be completely secure, however, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

access the personal information we hold about you;
correct inaccurate information;
delete your information;
restrict or object to certain processing;
data portability, where applicable;
withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent;
not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights (for example, under California law).

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@golfdrive.org. We may need to verify your request, and we will respond within the time required by applicable law. You also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority, for example the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK. We would appreciate the chance to resolve your concern first.

California residents: in the preceding 12 months we have not sold or shared personal information as those terms are defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended.

11. Children's privacy

The Site is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 in the UK and EEA). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

12. Third-party websites

The Site links to other websites, including golf retailers, manufacturers and governing bodies. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please read the privacy policy of any website you visit.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example when we add new features or services. The "Last updated" date at the bottom of this page shows when it was last changed. If we make significant changes, we will make that clear on the Site.

14. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, email us at hello@golfdrive.org.