Golf Canada Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY 

The Royal Canadian Golf Association, operating as Golf Canada (“Golf Canada” or “we” or “us” or “our), recognizes the importance our members, donors, customers, volunteers, spectators, visitors to our websites, Score CentreTM, and users of our mobile applications place on the privacy of their information (collectively referred herein to “you” or “yours” or “users” “or “individuals”). 

The Golf Canada Foundation, a separate legal entity that is administered in part by Golf Canada, has adopted this Privacy Policy in its entirety. All references to Golf Canada can and shall be replaced with “Golf Canada Foundation” in transactions or data collection conducted by the Golf Canada Foundation. 

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) demonstrates our firm commitment to protecting the privacy of your information, as described below. Providing exceptional services involves collecting, using, and sharing Personal Information about individuals. This Policy outlines how we protect your Personal Information, which is one of our highest priorities. 

For this Policy, “Personal Information” means information about an identifiable individual (e.g. name, email address) or information that can be used to identify an individual or as further defined in applicable laws. 

World Handicap System: 

Golf Canada is the authorized national body responsible for implementing and administering the Rules of Handicapping in Canada in cooperation with provincial golf associations. Golf Canada is the only licensed association in Canada to provide an official calculated Handicap Index in accordance with the World Handicap System (WHS), which was launched in 2020. For detailed information regarding how we collect, use and share Personal Information with the World Handicap System, and what your rights are as it relates to the information we share with the WHS, please refer to the FAQ: World Handicap System (WHS) and Your Information. 

Who Does This Policy Apply To? 

Golf Canada collects, protects, uses, and shares information gathered from our interactions with you through the use of our products, services, visits to our websites, including, www.golfcanada.ca, https://ecomm.golfcanada.ca/, https://scg.golfcanada.ca/ (the “Websites” or the “Golf Canada Websites”), use of our mobile application (the “App”), and when you otherwise interact with us (collectively referred to as “Services”). 

Our Websites and App may contain links to other third-party sites. When you click on one of these links, you are visiting a website operated by someone other than us, and the operator of that website may have different privacy policies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to investigate the privacy policies of these third-party operators. 

Policy Changes: 

This Policy was last updated February 13, 2024. We keep our Policy under regular review. We suggest that you review this Policy periodically as we may modify it from time to time as our Services evolve or as required by applicable laws. 

What Personal Information We Collect and How We Collect It? 

Information you provide to us: 

Information we automatically collect: 

Like most websites and applications, we may collect information about your visit, use and interaction with our Websites or App. We collect this information through the use of cookies, pixel tags, beacons and similar technologies. Although most of the information we collect is anonymized and aggregated usage data, such as how many individuals visited our Websites, peak hours of visits, and which page(s) were viewed, we may also collect the following: 

Information we collect from third parties: 

We may also receive information about you from third parties. For example, your golf club or provincial golf association may provide us with your information so that you can be a member of Golf Canada and enjoy the services we have to offer. We may also collect your personal information from our partners, such as Ticketmaster when you purchase a ticket for a tournament or otherwise interact with them about our events or Services.

How Do We Use Your Personal Information? 

We may use your Personal Information for the following purposes: 

We will only use your Personal Information for purposes described in this Privacy Policy or for purposes that we inform you of at the time of collecting your information. If we intend to use your Personal Information for a new purpose, we will ask you for your consent first, unless we are otherwise permitted by law or court order. 

Personal Information We Share with Third Parties 

There are certain circumstances in which we may disclose, transfer, or share your Personal Information with certain third parties. We limit who we share your Personal Information with and how much information we disclose. 

We may share your Personal Information with the following third parties: 

We do not sell your Personal Information. 

Our Use of Cookies and Other Technologies 

When you visit our Websites or App, we may send your browser one or more cookies to improve the quality of our Services by storing user preferences and following user trends. 

A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website or use a web-based application. The identifier relays information to us, such as what pages on our Website/App were visited. The term “cookie” is used in this Privacy Policy in the broad sense to include cookies and all similar technologies, including web beacons. Web beacons (sometimes called “tracking pixels”) are tiny graphic files that contain a unique identifier that enable us to recognize when someone visited our Websites or App. 

Cookies provide us with information, which is not identifiable to you, in order to understand how users enter and navigate our Websites/App. They are also used to remember user preferences. This helps us better understand how we can develop and improve the design, layout, content and function of our Websites/App. Some cookies may be placed on our Websites/App by third parties to provide you with relevant advertising. 

Types of cookies we may use. We may use the following types of cookies on our Websites/App: 

How to manage cookies: 

Most browsers are set up to accept cookies, however, you can reset your browser to reject cookies. You will need to follow the instructions contained in your browser’s help file (usually located within the “Help,” “Tools,” or “Edit” settings). If you choose to disable cookies, some of the functionalities on our Websites/App and other sites may be affected. Be aware that clearing your browser history will clear all of the cookies for all the sites you have visited, even those you have opted-in to. You may also lose saved login information and preferences for other websites. 

How We Protect Your Personal Information? 

We understand the importance of protecting your Personal Information and are committed to taking all reasonable steps to secure and protect your information from unauthorized access, use, loss, modification and disclosure. 

We protect Personal Information using a range of measures, consistent with industry practices, including: 

Your Rights Related to Personal Information 

Correction: 

We rely on you to provide us with accurate, complete and up-to-date information. If you need to update your Personal Information, you may do so directly in the App through your account or you may email us at privacy@golfcanada.ca (also see Contact Us). If you cannot update your information and you believe your Personal Information is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request, in writing, that we correct your record. You must be able to demonstrate the inaccuracy or incompleteness of the record and provide us with the information necessary to correct it. 

Access: 

You may also access your Personal Information by logging into your account via the App. If the information you are looking for is not in the App, you may send us a written request for a copy of your Personal Information. 

We will respond to your request for access or correction within reasonable timelines, in accordance with applicable laws. 

When we receive a written request for access, correction or withdrawal of consent, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting you access or correcting your Personal Information. There may be limited exceptions in which your request may be denied, such as if we cannot verify your identity or in accordance with applicable law, in which case we will advise you of our reasoning for declining your request. 

For access or correction to your Personal Information related to your handicap score, please review the FAQ: World Handicap System (WHS) and Your Information

Choices: 

You can opt-out of receiving promotional emails from us. To do so, you can unsubscribe to our communications at any time by following the instructions in the communication or emailing us at privacy@golfcanada.ca with your request. Once we receive your request, we will remove you from our mailing list. Please note that you cannot unsubscribe from some emails such as those related to the provision of our Services, which you are registered for. 

If you wish to stop receiving push notifications through the App or Score Centre, you may change the settings through the Account Settings of the Score Centre member area or your app. 

You may deactivate your user account by contacting members@golfcanada.ca. We will remove your profile but may retain any record of your information that is necessary to comply with applicable laws or in accordance with the World Handicap System protocol. 

Retention of personal information: 

We keep Personal Information for as long as is reasonably necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. We may also retain Personal Information if we have a legitimate business need to do so, or as required by law (e.g. for tax, legal, accounting or other purposes), whichever is the longer. Please see the FAQ: World Handicap System (WHS) and Your Information for information about how long your handicap score is retained. 

Children: 

We believe that the game of golf teaches children self-confidence, resilience and inner strength. Although we have members who are minors, we do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13 without the consent of their parents or legal guardian. If you are a parent or legal guardian who believes that we have inadvertently stored or collected Personal Information about your child without proper consent, please contact us and we will delete the information to the extent required by applicable law. 

Children under the age of 13 should not provide their Personal Information to us through our Websites or App except under the supervision and with the permission of their parent or legal guardian. 

If your child is a participant in our First Tee Program, we encourage you to read the First Tee Privacy Program to understand how we collect, use, and disclose your child’s Personal Information. 

International transfers of personal information: 

Although our Services are based in Canada, your Personal Information may be transferred to a jurisdiction outside of Canada, such as the United States. Privacy laws in different jurisdictions have varying levels of protection for your Personal Information, and such laws may not be as protective or comprehensive as those that exist in your home jurisdiction. 

Contact Us 

We welcome your questions and comments about privacy. Please feel free to contact us by emailing our Privacy Officer at privacy@golfcanada.ca, calling us at (905) 849-9700 extension 226, or writing us at: 

Golf Canada
Suite 1 – 1333 Dorval Drive
Oakville, Ontario L6M 4X7
Canada 

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Golf Canada is aware that interaction and communication occurs frequently on social media. Golf Canada cautions that any conduct falling short of the standard of behaviour required by this Social Media Policy and the Code of Conduct and Ethics may be subject to the disciplinary sanctions identified within the Discipline and Complaints Policy. Review the Social Media Policy.