Golf Zoo Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 24, 2018

Last Updated: August 28, 2026

Golf Zoo ("us", "we", or "our") operates the https://www.golfzoo.com website (the "Service"). This Privacy Policy outlines our policies regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of personal data when you use our Service, as well as the rights and choices available to you regarding your data.

By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. Unless otherwise defined, terms used in this Privacy Policy have the same meanings as in our Terms and Conditions, accessible from https://www.golfzoo.com.

1. Categories of Personal Data Collected and Shared

To provide golf vacation packaging, booking services, and website functionality, we collect information that identifies, relates to, or could reasonably be linked with you.

2. How We Use Your Data

Golf Zoo uses the collected data for the following core business purposes:

• Service Delivery: To process bookings, coordinate with golf courses and accommodation vendors, manage transactions, and issue travel documentation.
• Customer Support: To respond to inquiries, modify itineraries, and resolve issues.
• Communications & Marketing: To send booking updates, service notifications, and (where permitted) newsletters, special packages, and promotional offers.
• Analytics & Behavioral Insights: To evaluate website functionality, review user interaction metrics (such as heatmaps and session replays), improve site architecture, and personalize recommendations.
• Security & Compliance: To prevent fraudulent transactions, monitor network security, investigate legal violations, and comply with tax and statutory obligations.

3. Cookies, Tracking Technologies & Preference Choices

We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and scripts to analyze web traffic, remember user preferences, and serve interest-based advertisements.

Types of Cookies Used

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Required for basic site operation, secure login, and session navigation.
• Preference Cookies: Remember user choices such as preferred travel destinations or site display settings.
• Analytics & Session Recording Cookies: Track traffic patterns and visitor engagement using Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Microsoft Clarity.
  • Google Analytics 4: Processes IP addresses in anonymized forms to help us evaluate site usage without identifying individual users.
  • Microsoft Clarity: Captures behavioral metrics, heatmaps, and session replays to analyze how users interact with our website to improve site functionality and performance. Microsoft receives this behavioral data under their own privacy practices.
• Marketing & Targeted Advertising Cookies: Placed by third-party ad networks (such as Google Ads and Meta/Facebook) to display relevant travel offers on third-party websites based on your browsing history.

Managing Cookie Preferences & Global Privacy Control (GPC)

• Cookie Preference Manager: You can modify your tracking preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer of our website.
• Global Privacy Control (GPC): We recognize and honor browser-based opt-out preference signals, including the Global Privacy Control (GPC). If your browser broadcasts a GPC signal, our systems will automatically opt you out of non-essential analytics and marketing cookies.
• Browser Settings: You can configure your web browser to reject all or some cookies. Note that disabling strictly necessary cookies may impair site functionality.

4. Legal Basis for Processing Data (EEA / UK Residents)

If you reside in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, Golf Zoo processes your Personal Data under the following legal bases:

• Performance of a Contract: Processing required to fulfill a golf trip booking or provide services requested by you.
• Legitimate Interests: Processing required to operate, secure, and improve our business without overriding your rights.
• Consent: Where you have explicitly opted in to receive marketing communications or allowed tracking cookies.
• Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable statutory laws and tax regulations.

5. Data Retention Criteria

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:

• Booking & Financial Records: Retained for 7 years to fulfill tax, accounting, and legal audit requirements.
• Account & Contact Data: Retained for as long as your account remains active or until you request account deletion.
• Marketing Preferences: Retained until you opt out or unsubscribe from marketing communications.
• Analytics Logs (GA4 / Microsoft Clarity): Usage logs and behavioral recordings are retained for up to 14 months before automatic deletion or pseudonymized aggregation.

6. International Data Transfers

Golf Zoo is headquartered in the United States. Information collected through our Service may be transferred to, stored, and processed on servers located in the United States or other jurisdictions outside of your state, province, or country.

For transfers of personal data from the EEA or UK to the United States, we rely on approved legal transfer mechanisms, including the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (EU-U.S. DPF), the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) issued by the European Commission, ensuring your personal data receives an adequate level of protection.

7. Disclosure of Data to Third Parties

Golf Zoo does not sell personal data for monetary compensation. However, we may share personal data under the following circumstances:

• Travel Vendors: We share your name, booking details, and special requests with third-party vendors (golf courses, hotels, car rental agencies) strictly to execute your reservation.
• Service Providers: We engage vetted third parties to perform website hosting, payment processing (Stripe), customer management, behavioral analytics (Microsoft Clarity, Google), and email delivery under strict legal obligations protecting your data confidentiality.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose your data if required by law enforcement, court orders, or governmental bodies, or to protect the rights, property, and safety of Golf Zoo, our users, or the public.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have specific privacy rights regarding your Personal Data.

U.S. Resident Rights (California CCPA/CPRA, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, etc.)

If you reside in a U.S. state with a comprehensive privacy statute, you have the following rights:

• Right to Know / Access: Request details on the categories and specific pieces of personal data collected about you.
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal data collected, subject to statutory retention exceptions.
• Right to Correct: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale / Sharing: Request to opt out of the "sharing" of personal data for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted ads. You may exercise this right via the Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information link on our website or by broadcasting a GPC signal.
• Right to Limit Sensitive Data Use: Request limits on the processing of sensitive personal information (e.g., financial credentials).
• Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your legal privacy rights.

EEA / UK Resident Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the EEA or UK, you hold rights to: Access, Rectification, Erasure (Right to be Forgotten), Restriction of Processing, Data Portability, Objection to Processing, and the right to lodge a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority.

9. Payment Security

We process paid services directly via Stripe, a PCI-DSS compliant third-party payment gateway. Golf Zoo does not directly store, process, or collect your full payment card number on our servers. All credit card transactions are handled directly by Stripe, whose use of your personal data is governed by their privacy policy (accessible at https://stripe.com/privacy). Stripe adheres to the standards set by the PCI Security Standards Council (managed by brands such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) to help ensure the secure handling of payment information.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not directed to anyone under the age of 18 ("Children"). We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from individuals under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and become aware that your child has provided us with personal data without verification of parental consent, please contact us immediately so we can purge the information from our servers.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect technological, legal, or operational changes. We will notify you of any material changes by updating the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, by posting a prominent notice on our website homepage or sending an email notification.

12. How to Contact Us & Exercise Your Rights

To submit a privacy rights request or ask questions regarding this policy, please reach out to us:

• Email: [email protected]
• Online Form: https://www.golfzoo.com/-about-us-at-golf-zoo-.htm#contact
• Phone: 410-356-0330