System Security

Golf Channel Solutions maintains a Private Course Datastore (PCD) for each golf course using our system. The PCD can be populated with golf course customer data in the following ways:

Golf courses can upload customer data from existing sources including: member lists, tee sheet lists, signup lists, tournament lists, etc. This data is the exclusive property of the golf course and will never be used by Golf Channel Solutions or others for marketing purposes. However, if a customer already exists in the Golf Channel Solutions system or signs up directly with Golf Channel Solutions through a Golf Channel Solutions-powered website (i.e GolfNow.com, a partner site or golf course website) that customer will then be shared between those parties.
If the golf course has a website with a Golf Channel Solutions-powered booking engine and/or signup form, those customers will be added directly to the PCD and are the exclusive property of the golf course.
Any golfer that books a tee time through the Golf Channel Solutions system is automatically added to the related PCD. Even if the booking originates from GolfNow.com, a partner site, etc., the customer is always added to the PCD where the round will be played.

The customers in a PCD may be downloaded by the golf course at anytime. For security reasons, the download feature is disabled by default. However, at the request of the course the feature can be enabled for authorized users.

PCD’s are housed at the Golf Channel Solutions datacenter behind industry standard firewalls, in a physically secure building. Sensitive customer data is encrypted in the PCD and when transmitted over the Internet all customer data is encrypted using 256 bit strong SSL encryption. The Golf Channel Solutions system is also independently monitored by HackerSafe and Trustwave for security vulnerabilities and compliance.

Golf Channel Solutions has been storing and managing customer data since 2001 without incident. Golf Channel Solutions currently manages more than 1.8M customer records for golf courses, management companies and marketing partners around the country.

Golf Channel Solutions electronic tee sheet interface security

Golf Channel Solutions maintains secure interfaces to more than 25 electronic tee sheet systems including EZLinks, FORE! and IBS.

With most interfaces, Golf Channel Solutions installs software on the golf course computer to handle the communication between our servers and the local tee sheet. In some cases the tee sheet vendor handles the communication with the tee sheet and our system connects with the vendor’s central server only*.

The Golf Channel Solutions software installed on golf course computers handles communications in a highly secure manner from both an architectural and programmatic standpoint. All communications between the Golf Channel Solutions servers and the course originate from the course computer. Because of this, there are no special ports or firewall configuration changes required. All traffic is transmitted securely over the Internet using 256 bit strong SSL encryption.

The course computer continually checks with the Golf Channel Solutions servers to see if any search or booking transactions are needed. Golf Channel Solutions responds over the same connection that was opened by the course computer. This approach means there is no Golf Channel Solutions software running at the course that is vulnerable to an attack. The software will not respond to any incoming connections, all connections are initiated locally and made outbound to the Golf Channel Solutions servers.

*In cases where Golf Channel Solutions connects to a vendor’s central server, the golf course should discuss the security of the course connection to the servers with the respective vendor. Because Golf Channel Solutions only connects to the vendor’s central server we have no control over the security of the transaction beyond that point.