Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to SmartCaddie.ai. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your data when you use our AI-powered golf caddie service.

By using SmartCaddie.ai, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or use SmartCaddie.ai, you provide:

• Account Information: Email address, password, name (if provided)
• Profile Information: Gender, handicap index, tee preferences, shot shape, miss tendencies, playing style, and notes
• Golf Bag Data: Club names, carry distances, total distances, and club settings
• Payment Information: Billing details processed securely through Stripe (we do not store full credit card numbers)
• Communication Data: Messages you send us for support or feedback

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use our service, we automatically collect:

• Location Data: GPS coordinates and location information to provide course-specific recommendations
• Usage Data: Rounds played, courses visited, holes played, shots taken, club selections, and AI interactions
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser type, IP address, and unique device identifiers
• Log Data: Access times, pages viewed, features used, and errors encountered
• Cookies and Tracking: Session data, preferences, and authentication tokens

2.3 Golf Performance Data

To provide personalized recommendations, we collect:

• Shot distances and accuracy
• Course conditions and weather at time of play
• Club usage patterns and effectiveness
• Scoring trends and round statistics
• Historical performance data for AI model training

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide Services: Deliver AI-powered golf recommendations, club selections, and course guidance
• Personalization: Tailor advice based on your playing style, skill level, and historical performance
• Account Management: Create and maintain your account, process subscriptions, and handle billing
• Improve AI Models: Train and enhance our artificial intelligence algorithms for better recommendations
• Analytics: Analyze usage patterns to improve features and user experience
• Communication: Send account updates, service announcements, and support messages
• Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security vulnerabilities
• Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service
• Marketing: Send promotional content (you can opt out anytime)

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption: All data transmitted using HTTPS/TLS encryption
• Secure Storage: Encrypted databases and secure cloud infrastructure
• Password Protection: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt or similar algorithms
• Access Controls: Limited employee access on a need-to-know basis
• Regular Audits: Security reviews and vulnerability assessments
• Monitoring: Real-time threat detection and logging

Important: While we take security seriously, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. You use the service at your own risk.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide services and comply with legal obligations:

• Active Accounts: Data retained while your account is active
• Deleted Accounts: Most data deleted within 30 days; some logs retained for security (up to 90 days)
• Legal Requirements: Billing and payment records retained for tax and legal compliance (typically 7 years)
• Anonymized Data: Aggregated, non-identifiable data may be retained indefinitely for research and improvement

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

• Essential Cookies: Authentication, security, and core functionality
• Performance Cookies: Analytics and usage tracking
• Preference Cookies: Remembering your settings and preferences
• Marketing Cookies: Tracking ad performance (if applicable)

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling certain cookies may limit functionality.

9. Children's Privacy

SmartCaddie.ai is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately through our website, and we will delete it.

10. International Data Transfers

SmartCaddie.ai is based in [Your Country]. If you access our service from outside this region, your data may be transferred to and processed in [Your Country] or other countries where our service providers operate. By using SmartCaddie.ai, you consent to the transfer of your data to these jurisdictions.

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal data is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal data (with certain exceptions)
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal data (we do not sell data)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, contact us through our website privacy contact form.

12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right to access, rectify, or erase your personal data
• Right to restrict or object to processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to withdraw consent at any time
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

Our legal basis for processing your data includes consent, contract performance, legal obligations, and legitimate interests.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or through the service. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when this policy was last revised. Continued use of SmartCaddie.ai after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.