U.S. Open, U.S. Open Championship, United States Open, United States Open Championship, National Open Championship and United States Golf Association are registered service marks of the United States Golf Association (USGA) Copyright © 2010.
© Copyright IBM Corp., United States Golf Association 2013. All Rights Reserved. Use of this Web site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Date of Last Revision: May 4, 2012
The United States Golf Association (the "USGA" or "we" or "us" or "our") recognizes the importance its visitors place on the privacy of their information. We created this privacy policy statement ("Privacy Policy") to demonstrate our firm commitment to protecting the privacy of our users and to ensure that our users understand the privacy policies and procedures of the USGA.
This Privacy Policy governs the privacy practices and procedures of the USGA with respect to the data it collects online via the USGA web sites listed in the USGA's Terms of Use (the "Web Sites" or the "USGA Web Sites") and how the USGA uses such information. Neither the Privacy Policy nor the Terms of Use apply to data collected by any other means, including any offline means.
By visiting the USGA Web Sites, you are consenting to the practices and procedures described in this Privacy Policy and in the USGA's Terms of Use into which this Privacy Policy is incorporated. If you do not agree with the practices and procedures described in this Privacy Policy or in the Terms of Use, please discontinue using any of the USGA Web Sites and follow the APPLICABLE procedures described in the Opt-Out section of this Privacy Policy.
You may opt in or opt out of our sharing of your Personal Information with third parties for their marketing use by following the directions in the "Opt Out" section below.
Table of Contents
Please click on a section title below to skip to that section of this Privacy Policy.
What Information Does the USGA Collect?
How Does the USGA Use My Information?
How Does The USGA Protect My Information?
Community Tools and Social Media
Consent to Worldwide Transfer and Processing of Personal Information
We suggest that you review this Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use periodically as we may modify it from time to time as our Web Sites and services evolve. Your continued use of the USGA Web Sites after the posting of a revised Privacy Policy signifies your acceptance of the revised terms. Under certain circumstances (e.g., with respect to material changes), we may also elect to notify you of changes or updates to our Privacy Policy by additional means, such as posting a notice on the front page of the affected Web Sites or sending you an e-mail.
What Information Does the USGA Collect?
The USGA collects two types of information from users of USGA Web Sites: (1) non-personal information collected, for example, as you interact with our Web Sites that cannot be used to specifically identify or contact an individual ("Non-Personal Information"); and (2) personal information that can be used to specifically identify or contact an individual ("Personal Information").
Non-Personal Information
When you visit any of the USGA Web Sites, our web server automatically recognizes and collects certain Non-Personal Information about your visit to our Web Sites, such as your Internet Protocol (IP) Address and domain name.
The USGA also collects and uses clickstream data, which includes a trail of electronic information left at each web site you visit. Such data tells us, for example, the type of computer and browsing software you are using and the address of the web site from which you linked to a USGA Web Site. We may use this clickstream data to determine how much time visitors spend on each page of any of the USGA Web Sites, how visitors navigate throughout the Web Sites, and how we may tailor our web pages to better meet the needs of visitors. Collection or use of clickstream data will be anonymous, aggregate, and will not intentionally contain any Personal Information.
The USGA also uses cookies on the Web Sites, which are small pieces of data stored by your web browser that contain data regarding your settings and preferences, shopping cart contents, or other data used by and about your visits to our Web Sites. We use this information to, for example, recognize you and your computer when you return to any of the USGA Web Sites, provide you with access to account information you may have entered on any of the USGA Web Sites, compile statistics about traffic to USGA Web Sites, and for other purposes consistent with this Privacy Policy. We do not use cookies to retrieve personal information about you from your computer. You can refuse cookies any time by turning them off in your Web browser. However, if you turn off cookies, certain features and functions of the Web Sites may not be available to you.
The USGA also uses Web beacon technology to help track usage and viewing of USGA Web Sites and communications (such as emails). Web beacons, also sometimes called single pixel gifs or action tags, allow the USGA to track page and message viewing counts and patterns, which we use to focus and tailor future content development and otherwise measure and improve the performance of our Web Sites and communications.
Any or all of the above-described activities may be performed on our behalf by our Representatives (defined below).
Personal Information
When you use any of the USGA Web Sites, you may be asked to provide or otherwise choose to provide Personal Information, which may include, but is not limited to:
You may be able to send information about our Web Sites, products and services to your friends and family members by clicking on a "Send-to-a-Friend" or similar button on the Web Sites, or in an e-mail that we have sent you. In some of these cases, you may provide the name and e-mail address of your friend or family member to us, and such information will be treated in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.
The above are only examples of the types of Personal Information we may collect. The actual types of Personal Information collected depend on the specific product or service you request, the types of transactions you conduct on the Web Sites and the various activities in which you participate (including, for example and without limitation, demographic information or other information that would permit someone to contact you online or offline).
How Does the USGA Use My Information?
The USGA uses the information it collects (including Personal Information and Non-Personal Information) primarily to understand your needs, provide you with better products and services, and deliver the specific product, service, or information you requested. For example, we may use your information to communicate back to you, to update you on products, services, and benefits, of ours and select third parties, to personalize your experience on USGA Web Sites, to contact you for market research or to provide you with marketing information, newsletters, or other information we think would be of particular interest. We may also use the information we collect to send you occasional e-mails about USGA news, announcements, or changes to USGA Web Sites. If you do not want to receive promotional e-mails from us, please notify us by following the procedures contained in our promotional e-mails or in the "Opt Out" section of this Privacy Policy.
Information obtained through USGA Web Sites may be combined and used in conjunction with information obtained through sources other than the USGA Web Sites, including both offline and online sources. The USGA uses this combined information to enhance and personalize your various experiences with us on and in connection with the Web Sites.
The USGA may share your information (including Personal Information and Non-Personal Information) with third parties in limited circumstances, for example, where it believes such sharing is (1) reasonably necessary to providing you with a requested service, (2) legally required, or (3) permitted by you.
Specifically, we may share your information (including Personal Information and Non-Personal Information) with our affiliates, technical consultants, service providers, third party auditors, or other third parties who use such information on our behalf to help make USGA Web Sites available, enhance their functionality, provide associated services, process your orders, or deliver content, samples, products, services, gifts and prizes (our "Representatives"). Such Representatives include, for example, Web site or database hosting companies, address list hosting companies, e-mail service providers, analytics companies, distribution companies, fulfillment companies, payment processing companies and other similar vendors and services providers. We aim to implement reasonable and appropriate contractual and technical protections for limiting our Representatives' use of your information to these business activities.
We reserve the right to access and disclose your Personal Information and Non-Personal Information as required by courts or administrative agencies and to the extent required to permit us to investigate suspected fraud, harassment, or other violations of any law, rule, or regulation, the rules or policies of our Web Sites, or the rights of third parties, or to investigate any suspected conduct which the USGA deems improper. We also reserve the right to transfer your Personal Information and other information in the event we, or a substantial portion of our assets, undergo a business restructuring, transfer of ownership, or similar transaction.
The USGA does not share your Personal Information with third party marketers without your permission. We will seek to obtain your consent either by an "opt-in" or "opt-out" method at the point of collection, or by other means, such as sending you an e-mail if we seek to share your information at a later point in time. You can also opt out of such sharing by notifying us in accordance with the "Opt Out" section of this Privacy Policy below. However, we reserve the right to freely share your Non-Personal Information for marketing and other purposes, with or without your consent.
Please note that the USGA is not responsible for removing information from third party lists or databases. You can restrict the use of certain of your Personal Information by certain direct mail companies by contacting: Mail Preference Service c/o Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, New Jersey 11735-9008.
Please note that at times, some of the advertisers on the USGA Web Sites and their and our ad service providers (including affiliate network providers and third party ad servers) may set cookies or use related technologies or web beacons when you click their advertising banners, links or other ads. While we use cookies and web beacons on parts of the USGA Web Sites (as discussed above), information from cookies and other technologies received with third party ads and links may be collected directly by those advertisers and ad service providers. The advertiser's privacy policy and/or that of its service provider will govern the use of this information and we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such companies. Additionally, some of these companies (like the ad networks) are members of the industry group, the Network Advertising Initiative, which offers a single location to opt out of their cookies. For more information, we encourage you to visit the Network Advertising Initiative's consumer web site, at http://www.networkadvertising.org/consumer/.
How Does the USGA Aim to Protect My Information?
The security of your Personal Information is important to us. For example, when you register as a member or order from our on-line catalog on our Web Sites, we endeavor to protect the security and integrity of any sensitive information collected thereon or therethrough by putting in place reasonable physical, electronic, and managerial procedures. However, while we strive to protect your Personal Information, due to the inherent open nature of the Internet we cannot guarantee that communications between you and any USGA Web Site, or information stored on any USGA Web Site or our servers, will be free from unauthorized access by third parties such as hackers. Your use of the Web Sites demonstrates your assumption of this risk.
You should be aware that any information and content, including Personal Information, and User Content (as hereinafter defined) you post to message boards, community tools, or other publicly accessible forums may be viewed and used by anyone with access to such forums. By using theses services, you assume the risk that the Personal Information and User Content provided by you may be viewed and used by third parties.
If you are using a shared or public computer, we recommend that you log off your profile and close your browser window when you have finished using any of our Web Sites. If you notice any inaccuracies in your Personal Information, please contact us immediately. In the unlikely event that we believe that the security of your Personal Information in our possession or control may have been compromised, we may seek to notify you of that development. If a notification is appropriate, we would endeavor to do so as promptly as possible under the circumstances, and, to the extent we have your e-mail address, we may notify you by e-mail. Unless you notify us and provide us with alternative contact information (which you are free to do at any time by emailing us at privacy@usga.org), you consent to our use of e-mail as the means of such notification.
Community Tools and Social Media
If you desire to have access to certain restricted sections of our Web Sites, you will be required to become a registered user and submit certain Personal Information, such as your name, password, e-mail address, and partial mailing address. Once registered, you may provide additional information on your profile, including but not limited to your biography, links to other web sites, and any User Content (as defined herein), to better identify yourself and find new friends and opportunities on the USGA's Web Sites. Providing additional information beyond what is required at registration is entirely optional and provided at your own risk. For example, you may be able to provide text, information, designs, graphics, pictures, video, applications, software, music, sound and other files, and their selection and arrangement for creating and personalizing your profile (collectively, "User Content"). You provide such User Content at your own risk. Please read the Security section of this Privacy Policy for further information.
Depending on your profile settings, the USGA may display your profile to other registered users to enable you to connect with them on the USGA's network. You may access and control the information included in your profile and decide whether you want your profile made visible to other registered users and perhaps the general public. Our default privacy setting with respect to your profile is set to make your profile "publicly" available, unless and until you choose otherwise, which you can do by opting out in the account preferences area of your Web Site account (if applicable), or by contacting us using the information set forth in the Contact Us section of this Privacy Policy below.
To deactivate your user account, you may email membership@usga.org, call us at (908) 234-2300, or write us at the United States Golf Association, P.O. Box 746, Far Hills, New Jersey 07931or follow the procedures in the Contact Us section of this Privacy Policy. We will remove your profile but may retain any record of your information and User Content that is necessary to comply with applicable federal, state, or local law. The information and User Content retained will generally not be available to other users of the USGA Web Sites. However, if you made use of communication features, e.g., sending a personal message, or community tools, e.g., posting on message boards or other publicly accessible forums, to share information or User Content with other individuals on any of the USGA Web Sites, such communications are generally not removable. By registering for a user account, you acknowledge and consent that, even after removal of your profile and Personal Information from our Web Sites, your information and User Content may remain viewable in cached and archived pages of individuals who have copied or stored such information or content.
Any of the USGA Web Sites may contain links, banners, or advertisements to other web sites. When you click on such links, banners, or advertisements, the privacy policies of the web sites to which you are linked and/or their service provider (as applicable) will govern the use of your information collected on such sites. Such third-party advertisers will not have access to your Personal Information unless you choose to share it with them. The USGA does not have access to or control over any technologies or practices that may be used by third-party advertisers.
This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by the USGA via its Web Sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other web sites. We encourage our users to read the privacy statements of each and every web site visited after leaving any of our Web Sites through such a link, banner or advertisement, in order to learn how such third parties may treat your information.
Children under the age of 13 years may not provide any Personal Information, including name, physical and e-mail address, telephone number, or any other information that allows others to contact them physically or electronically, to the USGA via any of the USGA Web Sites without verifiable parental consent. The USGA does not knowingly collect or solicit Personal Information from anyone under the age of 13 or knowingly allow such persons to register for use of any of the USGA Web Sites. In the event the USGA learns that we have collected Personal Information from a child under age 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete such information as quickly as possible.
Consent to Worldwide Transfer and Processing of Personal Information
When you give your personally identifiable information to the USGA through the USGA Sites, it may be collected and used by the USGA and its affiliates for the purposes of, for example, providing you services and sending you correspondence, and additionally may be transferred to entities other than the USGA's affiliates, which entities may be located in countries outside the EEA, including the United States. Each of these countries has different privacy laws that afford varying levels of protection for your personally identifiable information, and such laws may not be as comprehensive as those that exist in the European Economic Area ("EEA"). By registering on the USGA Web Sites or otherwise using their services, you consent to the USGA's and its affiliates' transmission to, and collection and processing of your information in, any jurisdiction, in accordance with its Privacy Policy. You can obtain details of the companies and countries in which your data has been collected and to which your data has been transferred by contacting us at:
United States Golf Association
P.O. Box 708
Far Hills, N.J. 07931
908-234-2300
Fax: 908-234-9687.
You can access, view and change your preferences, profile, and other information by visiting www.usga.org or emailing membership@usga.org, calling us at (908) 234-2300, or writing us at the United States Golf Association, P.O. Box 746, Far Hills, New Jersey 07931. You may also inform us of such changes by following the procedures described in the Contact Us section of this Privacy Policy, and the USGA will take reasonable steps to correct any information about you that is incorrect.
You can opt out of sharing your Personal Information with the USGA, being contacted by the USGA for promotional purposes, or having your Personal Information disclosed to third parties for such third parties' marketing use. To exercise your choice to opt out, simply check or un-check the appropriate box on the form or web page on which you are providing your Personal Information, or you may always update your opt-out preferences in your Web Site account (if any and if applicable) or by contacting the USGA by following the instructions set forth in the Contact Us section of this Privacy Policy below. From each of its promotional e-mails, the USGA also enables you to opt-out of receiving future promotional emails from the USGA.
Please understand that if you opt out of receiving promotional correspondence from us, we may still contact you in connection with your relationship, activities, transactions and communications with us. Also, a request to have us stop sharing your Personal Information with other entities for marketing purposes will only apply as of the date of your request, and we will not be responsible for any communications that you may receive from entities that received your Personal Information prior to such request. In these cases, please contact that entity directly.
Please note that your choice to change your information or opt out may affect the USGA's ability to provide you with the requested product or service. If you change your mind at a later time, you can contact the USGA about your preferences by following the procedures in the Contact Us section of this Privacy Policy.
The USGA welcomes your questions and comments about privacy. Please feel free to contact us for any reason, including a request to be added to or taken off a marketing list or to prevent sharing your Personal Information with third parties, by sending an e-mail to membership@usga.org, calling us at (908) 234-2300, or writing us at the United States Golf Association, P.O. Box 746, Far Hills, New Jersey 07931.
