Information we collect
Depending on the features you use, VanGolf may process:
- Account details such as name, handle, email, phone, date of birth, address and home course.
- Identity and verification evidence, screening outcomes and source-of-funds information where required.
- Teams, favourites, pools, challenges, season results, wallet records and account audit events.
- Device, sign-in, security, fraud-prevention, support and consent records.
- Optional communications and profile content you choose to provide.
Why we use it
We use personal information to create and secure accounts, run competitions, calculate results, personalise your golf world, provide support, prevent misuse, meet recordkeeping and verification duties, and communicate essential service changes.
Optional marketing is separate and may be switched off. We do not treat consent to marketing as a condition of account access.
Grounds for processing
Processing is limited to an appropriate basis under POPIA: performing the service you request, complying with legal duties, protecting legitimate interests such as security and integrity, or using consent where consent is required.
Special personal information and identity evidence receive additional controls and are used only when authorised and necessary.
Cross-border processing
If information is processed outside South Africa, VanGolf uses a lawful transfer basis and safeguards that provide an adequate level of protection. Material hosting, payment and verification providers are recorded in VanGolf’s provider register.
Retention and deletion
Profile and service data is kept while your account is active and only as long afterwards as needed for the purpose collected. Financial, verification, security and competition-integrity records may be retained for the period required by applicable law or to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.
When retention is no longer justified, information is deleted, de-identified or securely archived with access restricted.
Security and incidents
VanGolf separates public profile information from private account details, protects data in transit and at rest, applies role-based access controls and records important account actions. Backups, monitoring, incident response and security reviews form part of the security programme.
If a security compromise creates a notification duty, affected people and the Information Regulator will be notified in accordance with applicable law.
Your privacy rights
You may ask VanGolf to confirm whether it holds your information, provide access, correct inaccurate information, object to certain processing, withdraw consent, or delete information where deletion is legally available.
Open Profile → Account & Security → Privacy to update preferences, correct details, download audit history or submit an access or deletion request. Identity confirmation protects these requests from impersonation.
You may also complain to South Africa’s Information Regulator. VanGolf’s Information Officer oversees privacy requests, and the PAIA Manual and formal contact details will be available from the account support and privacy channels.
Automated checks and children
Eligibility, fraud, age and account-risk signals may assist a decision. Where a decision has a legal or similarly significant effect, VanGolf will provide the review or safeguards required by law.
Restricted play is for adults. VanGolf does not knowingly enable a person under 18 to use restricted competition or wallet features.