Last Updated: May 22, 2026

This page explains how Golf Club of Coldwater handles information collected through golfclubofcoldwater.com. The site is a regional golf publication, not a transactional platform — we don’t sell products, run booking systems, or process payments. Most of what’s described below relates to standard website analytics, reader correspondence, and the occasional newsletter signup.

Plain English first, legal framing second. That’s the order on this page.

Who Runs This Site

Golf Club of Coldwater is an independent editorial publication based in Coldwater, Michigan. Correspondence about this policy, or about any data the site holds on you, should go to [email protected] or to the editorial office address listed at the bottom of this page.

What We Collect, and Why

The site collects a small amount of information in three different ways. Each category is described separately because the reason for collecting it is different in each case.

1. Information You Send Us Directly

When a reader writes in — a course tip, a tournament lead, an instruction question, a correction, a partnership inquiry — we receive whatever is in that message. That usually means an email address, sometimes a name, sometimes attached photos or documents.

We use this information only to respond to the message and to follow up if the lead turns into editorial coverage. We don’t add inbound email addresses to marketing lists. We don’t share them with third parties. Messages that don’t lead anywhere are kept in the inbox for archival reasons and aren’t used for any other purpose.

2. Newsletter Subscriptions

If you sign up for the Golf Club of Coldwater newsletter, we keep your email address and the date you subscribed. That’s the entire record. The newsletter goes out periodically during the Midwest golf season and less often in the off-season, and you can unsubscribe from any issue using the link at the bottom of the email.

Newsletter delivery is handled through a third-party email service. That provider processes the subscriber list strictly for delivery purposes and is bound by its own privacy terms.

3. Automatic Information from Your Browser

Like most websites, golfclubofcoldwater.com collects standard technical information automatically when you visit. This includes:

Data Point	Why It’s Collected
IP address (anonymized)	Geographic context, spam protection
Browser type and version	Site compatibility, layout decisions
Device type	Mobile vs. desktop reading patterns
Pages visited and time on page	Editorial planning, what readers actually use
Referring website	Understanding where readers come from
Approximate location (city/region level)	Regional reporting decisions

This information is aggregated. It’s used to understand reading patterns across the site, not to identify individual readers.

Cookies

The site uses cookies for a few specific purposes:

• Essential cookies keep the site functioning — remembering whether you’ve dismissed a notice, holding your reading position between pages, supporting basic site features.
• Analytics cookies track aggregated reading patterns (see below).
• Embedded content cookies appear when a page includes third-party media such as a YouTube video, a tournament leaderboard widget, or an embedded social post. These are set by the third party, not by us.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings. Some site features may not work properly without them, but reading the site doesn’t require them.

Analytics

Reading patterns are tracked through a standard analytics provider. What we see in those reports:

• Which articles are read most
• How long readers spend on specific pages
• What devices and browsers are being used
• Geographic distribution at the city/region level
• Where traffic is coming from (search, direct, referral)

What we don’t see, and don’t try to see:

• Your real name
• Your full IP address
• Any personally identifying information unless you sent it to us yourself

Analytics data is used to plan editorial coverage. If a piece on a specific public course in Michigan gets unusual reader interest, that’s a signal to cover more of that region. The data shapes the calendar, not advertising decisions.

Third-Party Content

Some pages on the site include embedded content from third parties — video players, tournament results widgets, course location maps, social media posts. When this content loads, the third-party service may collect technical information about your visit. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not by this one.

The site does not currently run programmatic display advertising. If that changes, this policy will be updated and the affected pages will be clearly identifiable.

Editorial Submissions

Course tips, tournament leads, photos, written contributions and other reader submissions are treated as editorial material. By sending material to the desk, you grant Golf Club of Coldwater permission to use it in coverage. Attribution is given where the contributor wants to be named and withheld where they prefer to stay anonymous. Submitted material is not sold or licensed to third parties.

How Long We Keep Information

Reader correspondence stays in the editorial inbox indefinitely unless deletion is requested. Newsletter subscriber records are kept as long as the subscription is active and removed within a reasonable period after unsubscription. Analytics data is retained in aggregated form for trend analysis.

If you want any information you’ve sent us removed, email [email protected] with the request. We’ll confirm when it’s been done.

Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have specific rights over personal information held about you:

• The right to know what data is held
• The right to request a copy
• The right to correct inaccurate information
• The right to request deletion
• The right to object to certain types of processing

Readers in the European Union, the United Kingdom and California have rights under GDPR, UK GDPR and CCPA respectively. All requests go to the same address: [email protected]. We respond within a reasonable window — usually within a few weeks, sometimes faster during the off-season.

External Links

Articles on the site frequently link to external sources — course websites, tournament organizers, equipment manufacturers, news outlets. Those sites operate under their own privacy policies. Linking to an external site doesn’t imply endorsement of that site’s data practices.

Children’s Privacy

The site is written for an adult audience interested in golf. Coverage of junior golf programs is editorial in nature and does not involve collecting information from minors directly. The site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from anyone under that age. If you believe a minor has sent us information, contact the editorial address and the material will be removed.

Updates to This Policy

This policy is reviewed periodically and updated when site practices change. Material changes will be reflected in the “Last Updated” date at the top of the page. Substantive updates may also be announced through the newsletter or a brief note on the site.