1. Introduction
Westport Golf Club (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to being transparent about the technologies we use. This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar trackers are, which ones we use on westportgolfclub.ie, why we use them, and how you can manage your preferences.
This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy. For any questions, please contact us using the details in Section 8.
2. What Are Cookies and Trackers?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile) when you visit a website. They allow the site to remember your actions and preferences over a period of time, so you do not have to re-enter them whenever you come back.
In addition to cookies, we also use browser local storage, which stores data within your browser application rather than sending it back to our server. These are referred to as “storages” in this policy.
3. Legal Basis for Using Cookies
In accordance with the EU ePrivacy Directive (transposed in Ireland under SI 336/2011) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we distinguish between:
- Strictly necessary cookies: Essential for the website to function properly. They do not require your consent.
- Non-essential cookies (analytics, targeting): These require your prior, informed, and freely given consent before being placed on your device.
Refusing non-essential cookies is as easy as accepting them. You can manage your preferences at any time.
4. Cookies We Use
4.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are required for the website to operate and cannot be switched off. They do not store any personally identifiable information.
| Cookie | Domain | Type | Expiry | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
swpm_session | westportgolfclub.ie | First-party | Session | Manages member login state and session integrity, enabling access to restricted content. |
li_gc | .linkedin.com | Third-party | ~6 months | Stores visitor consent to the use of LinkedIn cookies for non-essential purposes. |
__cf_bm | .linkedin.com | Third-party | ~30 minutes | Distinguishes between human visitors and bots to ensure accurate site usage reporting (Cloudflare / LinkedIn). |
4.2 Performance & Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. They are set only with your consent.
| Cookie | Domain | Type | Expiry | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
_ga | .westportgolfclub.ie | First-party | 13 months | Google Analytics: assigns a randomly generated client ID to distinguish unique users and calculate visitor, session, and campaign data. |
_gid | .westportgolfclub.ie | First-party | 1 day | Google Analytics: stores and updates a unique value for each page visited; used to count and track pageviews. |
_ga_1HKPLL4D8V | .westportgolfclub.ie | First-party | 13 months | Google Analytics 4: persists session state for this specific GA4 property. |
_ga_MCN45XFFFF | .westportgolfclub.ie | First-party | 13 months | Google Analytics 4: persists session state for this specific GA4 property. |
4.3 Targeting & Social Media Cookies
These cookies are set by LinkedIn and may be used to build a profile of your interests. They require your consent before being placed.
| Cookie | Domain | Type | Expiry | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
bcookie | .linkedin.com | Third-party | ~12 months | LinkedIn browser identifier used for statistical and security purposes when sharing content via LinkedIn. |
lidc | .linkedin.com | Third-party | 1 day | LinkedIn routing cookie: facilitates data centre selection to ensure correct site functionality. |
5. Local Storage
We also use browser local storage to store data that helps the site function. The following storage keys are in use:
| Storage Key | Type | Category |
|---|---|---|
szn:idnts:cch | local | Strictly Necessary |
_grecaptcha | local | Strictly Necessary – Google reCAPTCHA bot-detection |
_lhis_fetch_popup | local | Strictly Necessary – Live helper chat session management |
_lhis_history | local | Strictly Necessary – Live helper chat conversation history |
_lhis_stats | local | Strictly Necessary – Live helper chat usage statistics |
_lhis | local | Strictly Necessary – Live helper chat core functionality |
6. How to Manage Your Cookie Preferences
6.1 Via Our Cookie Banner
When you first visit our website, a cookie banner will be displayed. You can:
- Accept all cookies (including analytics and targeting cookies).
- Reject non-essential cookies (only strictly necessary cookies will be active).
- Customise your preferences by category.
You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the Cookie Settings link in the footer of our website.
6.2 Via Your Browser
You can also control cookies directly through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to view, block, or delete cookies at any time. Please note that disabling all cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
6.3 Opting Out of Google Analytics
To opt out of Google Analytics across all websites, install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
7. Retention Periods
- Consent cookie (recording your preferences): 6 months.
- Analytics cookies: maximum 13 months.
- Session cookies: deleted when you close your browser.
- Third-party cookies: subject to each provider’s own retention policy.
8. Third-Party Cookie Providers
We use services from the following third-party providers who may place cookies on your device:
- Google Analytics (Google LLC) – Privacy Policy
- LinkedIn (Microsoft Corporation) – Privacy Policy
- Cloudflare (Cloudflare, Inc.) – Privacy Policy
9. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use or for legal and regulatory reasons. The date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, please contact us:
- Organisation: Westport Golf Club
- Website: westportgolfclub.ie
- Email: info@westportgolfclub.ie
- Phone: (+353) 098 28262
