Privacy Policy

1. Organization Overview & Charitable Purpose

PGA REACH Midwest operates exclusively for charitable, educational, and sports development purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our mission is to positively impact lives through the game of golf across the Midwest Section, centered on three foundational pillars:

• Youth Development & Junior Golf: Expanding access through PGA Junior League, Drive Chip & Putt, instructional clinics, youth camps, and financial assistance scholarships.
• Military (PGA HOPE): Helping Our Patriots Everywhere introduces golf to military personnel and service members to enhance their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, free of charge.
• Community Inclusion & Access: Eliminating socioeconomic and physical barriers so golf is open and welcoming to everyone.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information solely to fulfill our charitable mission, administer programs, respond to community inquiries, and process support:

• Contact & Inquiry Information: When you submit a message through our on-site contact form, we collect your name, email address, phone number, subject topic of interest, and message content.
• Program & Event Registrations: When registering for PGA HOPE clinics, junior tournaments, instructional camps, or foundation events, we may collect participant contact details, emergency contacts, and relevant demographic details necessary for participation.
• Charitable Donations: Online donations made via our website are processed directly by certified third-party payment processors (such as PayPal). PGA Reach Midwest never receives, processes, or stores your credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or debit card PINs. We receive only transaction confirmation data (such as donor name, amount, date, and contact information for charitable tax receipting).
• Technical & Site Usage Data: As you navigate our site, we may record basic technical logs including your IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited, strictly for system maintenance and security.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information exclusively for authorized charitable and operational purposes, including:

• Responding directly to questions submitted through our contact form.
• Administering and confirming participation in PGA HOPE clinics, junior golf events, and section seminars.
• Providing IRS-compliant charitable gift acknowledgments and tax receipts for donations.
• Improving website accessibility, speed, and usability across desktop and mobile devices.
• Fulfilling legal, reporting, and accounting obligations required of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

4. Cookie Consent Gatekeeper & Analytics

Our website employs a fully compliant Cookie Consent Gatekeeper in accordance with FTC guidelines and modern US privacy regulations. We believe in transparency and genuine user control:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: These cookies are essential for core site navigation, form security, CSRF protection, and recording your consent preferences. They cannot be turned off.
• Performance & Analytics Cookies: With your express consent, we utilize privacy-focused analytics cookies to evaluate traffic patterns, identify popular community resources, and gauge engagement. No behavioral advertising or ad retargeting cookies are used.
• Equal Prominence & No Dark Patterns: In our consent banner, “Accept All” and “Do Not Accept” options are presented with equal visual prominence. Choosing “Do Not Accept” blocks non-essential scripts and immediately purges existing tracking cookies from your browser.
• Changing Your Preferences: You may reopen your cookie controls and adjust your settings at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences button located in the footer of every page.

5. Your Privacy Rights Under US State Laws

Residents of several US states (including California under CCPA/CPRA, Colorado, Virginia, Connecticut, and others) possess specific statutory rights regarding their personal data. Regardless of where you reside, PGA Reach Midwest extends the following core protections:

• Right to Know & Access: You may request a summary of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.
• Right to Correction: You may request correction of any inaccurate personal data in our records.
• Right to Deletion: You may request that we delete personal data we have collected, subject to IRS audit and legal record-retention requirements.
• Right to Opt-Out: Because we do not sell personal data or share data for cross-context behavioral advertising, we do not require a “Do Not Sell My Info” opt-out; however, you may opt out of non-essential analytics via our Cookie Preferences.
• Non-Discrimination: We will never deny services, charge different fees, or provide a different level of program quality because you exercise your privacy rights.

6. Children’s Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

As an organization that champions youth golf through PGA Junior League and instructional clinics, we take children’s online privacy with utmost seriousness. Our website is directed to the general public, parents, and guardians. We do not knowingly collect personal identifiable information directly from children under the age of 13 online without verifiable parental or legal guardian consent. Registrations for youth golf events must be submitted by an adult parent or guardian.

7. Data Security & Retention

We implement industry-standard technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. All form transmissions utilize secure SSL/TLS encryption. Personal data is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or to satisfy regulatory record-keeping mandates.

8. External Links & Third-Party Services

Our website may contain links to external platforms, including the Midwest Section PGA (midwest.pga.com), the PGA of America (pga.com), PGA REACH national (pgareach.org), and PayPal donation services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites, and we encourage you to review their respective privacy statements.

9. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may periodically update this policy to reflect changes in our charitable programs, legal requirements, or technology. Any revisions will be posted on this page with an updated “Effective Date” at the top. We encourage you to review this page periodically.