Learn to play

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy describes how R&A Championships Limited ("The R&A", "we" and "our") collects and uses your personal data when you interact with the Golf.Golf website("Website") or otherwise in connection with the Golf.Golf "Learn to Play" initiative. We have tried to keep it simple, so please take the time to read this privacy policy in full to understand our practices regarding your personal data.


Types of personal data we collect

We may collect, use and store the following types of personal data about you:

  • Identity data - ID information including your name, title and data of birth
  • Contact data - Contact details including your email address and telephone number
  • Booking data - Information relating to Golf.Golf programmes that you book through our Website 
  • Communications data -  What we learn about you from communications between us
  • Usage data - Information about how you use our Website

We do not collect or store your financial data – i.e. details of the payment card that you use to make payment for a Golf.Golf programme. Payments will be made directly to the relevant Golf.Golf venue and processed by Stripe.

The R&A and each Golf.Golf venue act as independent controllers of your personal data. You should contact the relevant venue if you would like to know how they use your personal data.

Where we collect your personal data from

We may collect personal data about you when you interact with The R&A via our Website or:

  • if you contact us or provide feedback in relation to our Website or any Golf.Golf programmes;
  • when you enter prize draws or competitions;
  • when you choose to complete any surveys we send you; and
  • where you represent a golf club or facility and register your interest in becoming a Golf.Golf venue.

How we use your personal data

The table below explains how we use your personal data and our reasons. Where these reasons include legitimate interests, we explain what these legitimate interests are.

Our Website uses cookies. For more information on our cookies use, please read our cookies statement which can be read here.

Who we share your personal data with

We will share your personal data with our suppliers, group companies of The R&A and Golf.Golf venues for the purposes set out in this privacy policy only. This includes the provider of the booking system on our Website and service providers such as Google Analytics. Where you contact us about a specific Golf.Golf programme, we may share your contact details with the Golf.Golf venue responsible for providing that programme or the national golf body for your country of residence if we decide that they are best placed to respond to your enquiry. This is to ensure that your enquiry is processed efficiently and by the appropriate person.

We may also share your personal data with a regulator or where the disclosure is required by law. Otherwise, we will not share your personal data with any other third parties without your consent.

How long we keep your personal data

We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for.

Where we hold your data internationally

Your personal data may be transferred to, and stored in, countries outside of the UK and EU for the above purposes. We take steps to ensure your personal data is adequately protected in countries outside of the UK and EU. Please contact us if you would like more details on safeguards used by The R&A to protect personal data for these transfers.

Your rights

Data protection legislation in the UK and EU provides individuals with certain rights regarding the use of their personal data. If you would like to contact us to exercise your rights, please contact us using the contact details at the beginning of this privacy policy.

You have the right to:

  • access the personal data that we hold about you in many circumstances;
  • ask us to delete or correct any personal data that we hold about you;
  • prevent us processing your personal data;
  • port your personal data in certain circumstances;
  • not be subject to a solely automated decision;
  • withdraw any consent that you have given. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal; and
  • lodge a complaint with the UK regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office, if you have concerns about how we use your personal data. Please see https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ to find out more.

Contact information

If you would like to contact us about this privacy policy, you can do so by:

  • emailing us at privacy@randa.org; or
  • writing to us at Data Privacy Manager, The R&A, Beach House, Golf Place, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JA

Changes to our privacy policy

We keep this privacy policy under regular review and will place any updates on our Website. This privacy policy was last updated in March 2023.