.golf Pre-Register Domain - .golf Domain Information

Dot-Golf LLC
Question 18A

Dot-Golf (.Golf) is a new top-level domain for the global game of golf. Dot-Golf LLC's mission is to provide a meaningful domain name alternative and to develop, promote and support valuable services and initiatives for golf businesses, organizations, players and fans around the world. The integrity and spirit of golf is of great importance to us, and we intend to promote innovation in the .Golf domain, while developing the space in a way that is respectful and consistent with the tradition of the game of golf, one that has been built for over 500 years.

In that spirit, Dot-Golf LLC is uniquely positioned to create partnerships with the governing bodies of the amateur and professional games. CEO David V. Smith has long-standing relationships with the governing bodies of golf in both the amateur and professional arenas, and intends to utilize these relationships in a constructive way that benefits the existing golf world and the development of the .Golf TLD.

In addition, Dot-Golf LLC is committed to developing .Golf globally, not only in traditional markets such as the U.S. and Western Europe, but in developing golf marketplaces that would include Asia, Eastern Europe and more. We also plan to use our knowledge and expertise, while working with established golf organizations to develop technology, services and programs in the spirit and tradition of golf.

Dot-Golf LLC has developed a strong, diverse and well-rounded team to operate the .Golf registry. Descriptions of our core team are given below. Additional information on our team, partners, consultants and service providers can be found in Question 18B.

.GOLF TEAM

David V. Smith is the CEO of Dot-Golf LLC. Mr. Smith has served a lifetime in various aspects of the Golf Industry. His career began in 1976 in England when he was admitted to the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) and pursued a successful career with tournament victories in the United Kingdom, Greece, France and Africa. In 1981, Mr. Smith emigrated to the United States and focused his talents in the business of golf. Over a ten year period he served in management positions at some of the most prestigious Country Clubs in the United States and coached the UCLA Golf Team to a National Championship in 1988.

Mr. Smith also launched Golf Projects International (GPI) in 1990. GPI is a renowned Golf Course Development, Marketing and Management Company with offices in Los Angeles, London and Seoul. Over the past twenty years GPI has developed more than 40 projects in 11 countries. Dot-Golf LLC will also benefit from Mr. Smith's ongoing professional relationships with Golf.com, Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and the Golf Channel. GPI has a worldwide client base, and looks to utilize the network and resources gathered for over 30 years in the industry to optimize the potential of .Golf.

Junseong Hwang is the CEO of Dot-Golf Asia and Managing Director Asia Pacific for Dot-Golf LLC. Mr. Hwang is the founder and CEO of Claire Corporation, producing environmentally friendly mobile energy solutions, and is a leader in energy saving business. He has a proven executive management track record and over 25 years of experience driving sales growth in technology industries.

Prior to founding Claire Corporation, Mr. Hwang was Chief Executive Officer of Total Technology Company Limited, a joint venture company of Thomson Multimedia, responsible for all business activities in Korea and became the first Executive Entrepreneur of the company in Asia. Mr. Hwang earned a BS degree at Ajou University in Industrial Engineering, and participated in the Advanced Management Program at Yonsei University and the Executive Management Program in Seoul National University.

Edward L. White is the CFO of Dot-Golf LLC. Mr. White is the founding and Senior Partner of Edward White & Co., LLP, Certified Public Accountants. He is a CPA in the state of California, member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, has a Certification in Financial Forensics and a MBA from the University of Southern California.

Edward White & Co., LLP has practiced in the Los Angeles area since 1976, and provides a full range of services to a multinational client base. The Firm is peer reviewed and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Clients are in the technology, real estate, entertainment, manufacturing, distribution, oil and gas, service, government and not- for-profit industries. The Firm's personnel have also acquired experience while functioning as partners or in other senior positions at Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche, and Arthur Andersen LLP.

Shane Naughton is the CTO of Dot-Golf LLC. Mr. Naughton is a seasoned technology entrepreneur based in New York City. He has founded a number of technology companies over the past decade, and advises various technology start-up initiatives. Most notably, Shane co-founded and became CTO of TaxStream LLC in 2000. The company rapidly grew to become the #1 software provider in the space, and in 2008, Shane and his partners sold TaxStream to Thomson Reuters. Shane is also a co-founder of ARMTech, a company focused on building solutions to improve upon financial disclosure processes of publicly traded companies. Shane earned his B.A. and M.A. in Computer Science from Trinity College Dublin, and was awarded a gold medal for academic excellence.

Jaeyul You is an Asia Pacific Director for Dot-Golf LLC. Mr. You founded Joil Engineering & Construction in 2003 and currently serves as Chairman. He has extensive experience constructing clubhouses in the most prestigious Country Clubs in Korea. Previously, Mr. You was the CEO of Sansung Country Club, which is now Castlex-Seoul Country Club in Seoul, Korea. Mr. You also served as Chairman of the Korea Gymnastic Association from 2005-2009 and as Honorary Counsel of the Republic of Peru to Korea from 1996-1998. He holds a PhD from Trinity College in Indiana and has a certification from the Wharton-KMA CEO Institute.

Dr. Dennis Jennings is a Member of the Board of Directors for Dot-Golf LLC. Dr. Jennings is the former Vice-Chairman of the ICANN Board of Directors, where he also has contributed to board governance and the IDN Variant Issues Project. He has priorly served on the boards of a number of startup and venture capital companies. Dr. Jennings oversaw the startup and management of the .IE top level domain while at University College Dublin in the 1990s, where he earlier received Ph.D. and B.Sc degrees. Dr. Jennings was an integral part of a team of Internet pioneers in the 1980s, working for the US National Science Foundation on the NSFnet, which would later evolve into the Internet. He currently resides with his family in Dublin.

John Toland is the Director of New Business for Dot-Golf LLC. Mr. Toland is the co-founder and CEO of TLD Assets LLC and has conducted research and development on new gTLDs for over 5 years. He has also developed and supported businesses in real estate technology for over 20 years. His efforts include the provision of housing and support services to statutory agencies, property development, web development, media production and research. He supports approximately 50 staff across these businesses.

Edward A. White is the Director of Operations for Dot-Golf LLC. Mr. White is the co-founder of TLD Assets LLC and has participated in the domain industry for over two years. He has priorly engaged in a range of vocational and research oriented activities spanning media, technology, finance, and energy. Mr. White is a graduate of Yale University, where he received a B.A. in Political Science and actively participated in the Entrepreneurial Institute. He currently resides in New York City.

Dot-Golf LLC
Question 18B

The .Golf top-level domain will have several benefits to Internet users at its outset and will develop additional uses as time moves forward. The ability for golf organizations and companies to register shorter and more meaningful domain names under .Golf will create positive implications for search and a simple, easy tool for marketing and promoting golf on the Internet.

There is an established community for golf worldwide and online. With approximately 60,000,000 golfers and 35,000 golf courses worldwide, a great demand exists for the game. Global golf industry annual revenues have reached in excess of $70 Billion in recent years. On .Com and .Net, over 200,000 domain registrations contain the world "golf." Therefore, an established demand for golf exists and can be translated into the domain namespace.

Our consultations have shown that many golfers and clubs are unable to find short, concise domains on .Com. Many golfing domain owners were late to purchase domain names on .Com or the applicable ccTLDs, or have been subject to cybersquatting abuses. We feel that niche spaces like .Golf create significant value for a targeted group of Internet users and help create an opportunity for a productive, high-value space.

As a golf course developer and consultant, Dot-Golf LLC CEO David Smith can attest to the demand for .Golf in both traditional and developing golf marketplaces. With partners in Europe, the United States, and Asia, our team is already well positioned to service many major golf markets.

Many golfers, organizations and companies will benefit directly from the use of a new, unique domain identifier. To demonstrate this point, consider the US Open golf tournament. The tournament maintains a current web address at www.usopen.com. However, the US Open tennis tournament operates at www.usopen.org.

This can create confusion for Internet users. However, the potential web address www.usopen.golf would be very clear and communicates meaning. In our opinion, this could provide enormous value for the tournament, and could be applied in all sorts of cases. Again, the ability to have identifiers that specifically communicate an industry, genre, or community provides great value for businesses, organizations and individual domain registrants.

In terms of differentiation and user experience, .Golf presents a unique alternative to .Com, .Org or ccTLDs. It would create a unique place on the Internet where people can find content on a specific topic. A vertical search utility could be employed by the .Golf registry or a search engine service provider, giving users the ability to search for content on a much more targeted level.

In addition, Dot-Golf LLC has identified several compelling initiatives that could further develop the .Golf top-level domain in years to come. A few of these services or programs may be developed internally or in partnership with other organizations, and we expect many to be created and developed by other people or organizations that recognize the value potential.

Services and programs that could utilize or be developed on .Golf include but are not limited to business and social networking, handicap scoring systems, virtual golf technologies, charity and youth development programs, travel, retail, real estate, manufacturing, resorts, public golf resources, country club resources, instruction, streaming television, print media, club managerial services, golf architecture, superintendent or maintenance services and golf fitness.

Dot-Golf LLC is committed to establishing the .Golf domain space in a way that promotes innovative technologies, services and programs that benefit the game of golf, while maintaining the game's longstanding tradition and values. We intend to continue networking and taking consultations with appropriate people and organizations before and after launch in order to ensure the development of a quality TLD. We will also remain open and responsive to prospective registrants and intend to develop initiatives to encourage participation at the appropriate stages.

A Few Thoughts On .Golf and Dot-Golf LLC

"The opportunity to offer the golf market in Korea and Asia an ability to utilize a golf web address is an exciting prospect. With the growth of the game and industry spreading throughout our Continent, the timing is ideal. Dot-Golf LLC has unique relationships in Asia that will enable them to develop the registry properly."

—Un Young Kim
President of the Club Presidents Jeju Island S. Korea
Professor of Golf Marketing and Branding Seoul University

"Having been a PGA Member for 50 years, serving as Club Professional, playing professional and teaching professional, I find the opportunity to have our own Internet space a wonderful privilege. An email ending in golf lends credence to all involved in the game of golf."
—Eddie Merrins
PGA Emeritus Professional - Bel-Air Country Club

"As a member of the PGA and a golf professional who has won on the PGA tour and directed golf enterprises, I genuinely believe that amateur and professional golfers, public and private country clubs, and other golf related parties would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to have their own space on the Internet. Most of us who love the game of golf, would like to have an e-mail address ending in .Golf."
- Mike Springer, PGA Professional

ʺGolf has been an integral part of my life since I was a boy. I have spent my entire adult life traveling throughout the world playing golf on professional tours in Europe, Asia and America. Without question, all of us who appreciate golf would benefit from an official identity with the game we love. I not only endorse Dot-Golf LLCʹs application, I am looking forward to utilizing .Golf for my personal and professional communications.ʺ
-Lennie Clements, PGA Professional

Dot-Golf LLC is committed to establishing the .Golf domain space in a way that promotes innovative technologies, services and programs that benefit the game of golf, while maintaining the game's longstanding tradition and values. We intend to continue networking and taking consultations with appropriate people and organizations before and after launch in order to ensure the development of a quality TLD.

We will also remain open and responsive to prospective registrants and intend to develop initiatives to encourage participation at the appropriate stages. In this regard, our applications have already been compiled or reviewed to varying extents by Loeb and Loeb LLP, attorneys at law, Edward White & Co., LLP, certified public accountants, our registry services provider Afilias and TLD Assets LLC. A number of other former ICANN staff, registries and registrars, companies and consultants in a number of fields have also informally contributed to our understanding of the New gTLD Program and the appropriate policies. Please review below a compilation of policies intended to address the issues referred to in this question.

REGISTRATION POLICY

ICANN has indicated over time a series of consensus policies for new gTLD registry operators to incorporate into their registration policies. It is our intention to monitor and comply with policies set by ICANN, and to contribute to the formation of a fair, professional and transparent process through the New gTLD program.

It is also our understanding that many of these policies are subject to modifications, particularly as a result of issues that may be generated from the new gTLD application process in 2012. As a potential registry operator, we have reviewed the current public information and taken numerous professional consultations.

Our consultants include, but are not limited to numerous companies in the top-level domain industry, several former ICANN staff and board members, policy specialists, international law firms, trademark specialists, certified public accounting firms, and a diverse group of community and business leaders.

With respect to the game of golf, Dot-Golf LLC has taken numerous consultations and engaged in discussions with prominent golfing organizations.

The amateur game is governed by the Royal and Ancient Club of St. Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA). The professional game is governed by PGA Tours around the world, and most golfers recognize the U.S. PGA Tour and the European Tour as the most prominent. After a number of discussions with the parties above, Dot-Golf LLC was advised that the International Golf Federation (IGF), based in Switzerland, had been appointed to evaluate the opportunity of the .Golf TLD. While the IGF and supporting entities are not formally supporting any applicants at this time, The IGF and its leadership has informally expressed an interest in working with Dot-Golf LLC should it be successful in contracting for .Golf.

Below is a preliminary description of policies for Dot-Golf LLC. Dot-Golf LLC plans to take additional consultations and interact with the appropriate governing bodies or service providers as necessary to update registration policies in relation to any potential changes by ICANN.

Trademarks & Dispute Resolution

The launch of .Golf will include the operation of a trademark claims service according to the defined ICANN processes for checking a registration request and alerting trademark holders of potential rights infringement.

Dot-Golf LLC will make a formal announcement to notify the public of an upcoming Sunrise period at least 30 days prior to the opening of Sunrise. Exact dates and parameters will be released prior to the beginning of Sunrise. Dot-Golf LLC intends to work with the Trademark Clearinghouse to check and verify registered marks. Dot-Golf LLC also intends to fully comply with Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS), Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Policy (PDDRP), any other rights protection mechanisms (RPMs) and WHOIS requirements throughout the Sunrise and Landrush periods, and after standard registrations begin. Further detail and descriptions of RPMs are given in our response to Question 29.

Sunrise will consist of a period of at least 30 days. Trademark and service mark holders will be able to reserve marks that are an identical match in the .Golf domain. Recurring annual fees will be standardized in accordance with fees set at preregistration levels. Those wishing to reserve marks in the .Golf domain during the Sunrise Period must own a current trademark or service mark listed in the Trademark Clearinghouse.

Notice will be provided to all trademark holders in the Clearinghouse if someone is seeking a Sunrise registration. This notice will be provided to holders of marks in the Clearinghouse that are an Identical Match (as defined in the Trademark Clearinghouse) to the name to be registered during Sunrise.

Each Sunrise registration will require a minimum term of five years.

Dot-Golf LLC will establish the following Sunrise eligibility requirements (SERs) as minimum requirements, verified by Clearinghouse data, and incorporate a Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy (SDRP). The SERs include: (i) ownership of a mark that satisfies the criteria set forth in section 7.2 of the Trademark Clearinghouse specifications, (ii) description of international class of goods or services covered by registration; (iii) representation that all provided information is true and correct; and (iv) provision of data sufficient to document rights in the trademark.

The SDRP will allow challenges based on the following four grounds: (i) at the time the challenged domain name was registered, the registrant did not hold a trademark registration of national effect (or regional effect) or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; (ii) the domain name is not identical to the mark on which the registrant based its Sunrise registration; (iii) the trademark registration on which the registrant based its Sunrise registration is not of national effect (or regional effect) or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; or (iv) the trademark registration on which the domain name registrant based its Sunrise registration did not issue on or before the effective date of the Registry Agreement and was not applied for on or before ICANN announced the applications received.

A Landrush period will be held following the Sunrise period. The Landrush period will last at least 30 days. Registration will be open to the general public. However, Dot-Golf LLC will make efforts to publicize the Landrush period, particularly to the golf industry and community. Landrush will not consist of a first-come, first-serve basis, and is created primarily to allow the golf industry and community adequate time to apply for a domain. On a case-by-case basis, multiple applications for the same domain name may be subject to dispute resolution mechanisms or an auction. The Landrush period may be extended beyond 30 days. Terms and conditions will be set by Dot-Golf LLC prior to the launch of Landrush.

Abusive conduct will not be tolerated during preregistration or at any time, and an abuse point of contact will be maintained at all times. Additional information on abusive conduct and terms of use can be found in response 18C.

After the completion of Sunrise and Landrush periods, standard registrations will begin, and domains will be awarded to registrants on a first-come first-serve basis.

Reserved Names

Dot-Golf LLC will also maintain a reserved list. Some of these names will be reserved for regulatory or informational purposes. ICANN has already determined several of these on behalf of registry operators. Examples can be found in Specification 5 of the sample New gTLD Registry Agreement provided by ICANN in the Applicant Guidebook. Dot-Golf LLC intends to fully comply with this list and any additions that may be made in the future.

Dot-Golf LLC will continue to take consultations in an effort to maintain this list and the .Golf domain in a sensitive and respectful manner to the global golfing community. Dot-Golf LLC will reserve the right to disqualify registrants or their agents from making or maintaining any registrations or reservations in the .Golf TLD if these registrants are found to have repeatedly engaged in abusive registrations, in its sole discretion.

Some premium names will also be put on a reserved list and will be reserved for auction. Some premium names may be awarded to individuals or companies through a transparent process in the interest of developing key services or initiatives under the .Golf domain. For example, Dot-Golf LLC may host a "Founders Program," whereby people may apply for a premium name and demonstrate a valuable use. This will be done within reason and on a limited basis.

Dot-Golf LLC will not intentionally attempt to put trademarked names on the premium section of the reserved list, and will cooperate with any appropriate rights protection mechanisms. Premium domains will be established prior to launch.

Trademark "frontrunning," the process of registering trademarks for valuable domain names that have not been released to the general public for the sole purpose of securing the domain at a lower price, is deemed to be abusive to the registry and will not be recognized.

Finally, certain geographic names will be reserved and handled in accordance with procedures delegated by ICANN. For more detail on this section, please refer to Question 22.

Data Collection and Use Policy

So that registrants can understand how their personal data might be used, Dot-Golf LLC will notify registrars of the purposes for which personally identifiable data is collected and used, and Dot-Golf LLC will not use that data in ways that are incompatible with the notice provided to registrars. (See Article 2.17.) Dot-Golf LLC will create a data collection and use policy that anticipates all the data that the registry can collect, and the ways it may want to use it.

Publication of Registrant Data; Measures for Protecting the Privacy or Confidential Information of Users

Dot-Golf LLC will have several measures for protecting the privacy of confidential information of registrants or users.

As per the New gTLD Registry Agreement, Dot-Golf LLC will make domain contact data (and other fields) freely and publicly available via a Web-based WHOIS and a port 43 server. (See Specification 4 for details.) This default set of fields includes the mandatory publication of registrant data. The Registry-Registrar Agreement will require that registrants consent to this publication.

As per the requirements of the new gTLD Registry Agreement (Article 2.17), Dot-Golf LLC shall notify registrars regarding the purposes for which data about any identified or identifiable natural person ("Personal Data") submitted to the Registry Operator by such registrar is collected and used, and the intended recipients (or categories of recipients) of such Personal Data. (This data is basically the registrant and contact data required to be published in the WHOIS.) Dot-Golf LLC will require each registrar to obtain the consent of each registrant in the TLD for such collection and use of Personal Data. The policies will be posted publicly on the registry operator's web site. As the registry operator, Dot-Golf LLC shall not use or authorize the use of Personal Data in a way that is incompatible with the notice provided to registrars.

Specifically, those policies will include the following:
• As registry operator, Dot-Golf LLC does not plan on selling bulk WHOIS data. Dot-Golf LLC will not sell contact data in any way. Dot-Golf LLC will not allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission by e-mail, telephone, or facsimile of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations.
• Dot-Golf LLC may use registration data in the aggregate for marketing purposes.
• DNS query data will never be sold in a way that is personally identifiable.
• Dot-Golf LLC may from time to time use the demographic data collected for statistical analysis, provided that this analysis will not disclose individual Personal Data and provided that such use is compatible with the notice provided to registrars regarding the purpose and procedures for such use.
As the registry operator, Dot-Golf LLC shall take significant steps to protect Personal Data collected from registrars from loss, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Question 30 ("Security Policy") and Question 38 ("Escrow") contain further information regarding security policies and procedures used to protect the registry system and the data contained there from unauthorized access and loss.

Please see Question 26 ("WHOIS") regarding "searchable WHOIS" and rate-limiting. That section contains details about how Dot-Golf LLC will limit the mining of WHOIS data by spammers and other parties who abuse access to the WHOIS.

Dot-Golf LLC plans to impose certain operational standards for registrars. In order to gain and maintain accreditation for .Golf, we will require registrars to adhere to certain information technology policies designed to help protect registrant data. These will include standards for access to the registry system, and password management protocols. Please see Question 30 ("Security Policy") for details.

Dot-Golf LLC will allow the use of proxy and privacy services, which can protect the personal data of registrants from spammers and other parties that mine zone files and WHOIS data. Dot-Golf LLC is aware that there are parties who may use privacy services to protect their free speech rights, or to avoid religious or political persecution.

Dot-Golf LLC
Question 18C

Dot-Golf LLC intends to operate the .Golf top-level domain under a coherent, transparent and sustainable process to minimize social costs and maximize value for registrants and Internet users. The registry will correspond and comply with ICANN to incorporate the best practices and policies available. We will also coordinate with appropriate golf bodies and organizations to ensure and maintain the integrity and spirit of the game of golf. Wherever possible, we will contribute our thoughts, ideas and initiatives in a constructive manner to improve these processes.

ICANN has indicated over time a series of consensus policies for new gTLD applicants to incorporate into their registration policies. It is our intention to monitor and comply with policies set by ICANN, and to contribute to the formation of a fair, professional and transparent process through the New gTLD program.

We will also remain open and responsive to prospective registrants and intend to develop initiatives to encourage participation at the appropriate stages. In this regard, our applications have already been compiled or reviewed to varying extents by Loeb and Loeb LLP, attorneys at law, Edward White & Co., LLP, certified public accountants, our registry services provider Afilias and TLD Assets LLC. A number of other former ICANN staff, registries and registrars, companies and consultants in a number of fields have also informally contributed to our understanding of the New gTLD Program and the appropriate policies. Please review below a compilation of policies intended to address the issues referred to in this question.

It is also our understanding that many of these policies are subject to modifications, particularly as a result of issues that may be generated from the new gTLD application process in 2012. As a potential registry operator, we have reviewed the current public information and taken numerous professional consultations.

With respect to the game of golf, Dot-Golf LLC has taken numerous consultations and engaged in discussions with prominent golfing organizations.

The amateur game is governed by the Royal and Ancient Club of St. Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA). The professional game is governed by PGA Tours around the world, and most golfers recognize the U.S. PGA Tour and the European Tour as the most prominent. After a number of discussions with the parties above, Dot-Golf LLC was advised that the International Golf Federation (IGF), based in Switzerland, had been appointed to evaluate the opportunity of the .Golf TLD. While the IGF and supporting entities are not formally supporting any applicants at this time, The IGF and its leadership has informally expressed an interest in working with Dot-Golf LLC should it be successful in contracting for .Golf.

Below is a preliminary description of policies for Dot-Golf LLC, which may be applied to issues of social cost and consumer vulnerabilities. Dot-Golf LLC plans to take additional consultations and interact with the appropriate governing bodies or service providers as necessary to update registration policies in relation to any potential changes by ICANN.

Trademarks & Dispute Resolution

The launch of .Golf will include the operation of a trademark claims service according to the defined ICANN processes for checking a registration request and alerting trademark holders of potential rights infringement.

Dot-Golf LLC will make a formal announcement to notify the public of an upcoming Sunrise period at least 30 days prior to the opening of Sunrise. Exact dates and parameters will be released prior to the beginning of Sunrise. Dot-Golf LLC intends to work the Trademark Clearinghouse to check and verify registered marks. Dot-Golf LLC also intends to fully comply with Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS), Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Policy (PDDRP), any other rights protection mechanisms (RPMs) and WHOIS requirements throughout the Sunrise and Landrush periods, and after standard registrations begin. Further detail and descriptions of RPMs are given in our response to Question 29.

Sunrise will consist of a period of at least 30 days. Trademark and service mark holders will be able to reserve marks that are an identical match in the .Golf domain. Recurring annual fees will be standardized in accordance with fees set at preregistration levels. Those wishing to reserve marks in the .Golf domain during the Sunrise Period must own a current trademark or service mark listed in the Trademark Clearinghouse.
Notice will be provided to all trademark holders in the Clearinghouse if someone is seeking a Sunrise registration. This notice will be provided to holders of marks in the Clearinghouse that are an Identical Match (as defined in the Trademark Clearinghouse) to the name to be registered during Sunrise.

Each Sunrise registration will require a minimum term of five years.

Dot-Golf LLC will establish the following Sunrise eligibility requirements (SERs) as minimum requirements, verified by Clearinghouse data, and incorporate a Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy (SDRP). The SERs include: (i) ownership of a mark that satisfies the criteria set forth in section 7.2 of the Trademark Clearinghouse specifications, (ii) description of international class of goods or services covered by registration; (iii) representation that all provided information is true and correct; and (iv) provision of data sufficient to document rights in the trademark.

The SDRP will allow challenges based on the following four grounds: (i) at the time the challenged domain name was registered, the registrant did not hold a trademark registration of national effect (or regional effect) or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; (ii) the domain name is not identical to the mark on which the registrant based its Sunrise registration; (iii) the trademark registration on which the registrant based its Sunrise registration is not of national effect (or regional effect) or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; or (iv) the trademark registration on which the domain name registrant based its Sunrise registration did not issue on or before the effective date of the Registry Agreement and was not applied for on or before ICANN announced the applications received.

A Landrush period will be held following the Sunrise period. The Landrush period will last at least 30 days. Registration will be open to the general public. However, Dot-Golf LLC will make efforts to publicize the Landrush period, particularly to the golf industry and community. Landrush will not consist of on a first-come, first-serve basis, and is created primarily to allow the golf industry and community adequate time to apply for a domain. On a case-by-case basis, multiple applications for the same domain name may be subject to dispute resolution mechanisms or an auction. The Landrush period may be extended beyond 30 days. Terms and conditions will be set by Dot-Golf LLC prior to the launch of Landrush.

Abusive conduct will not be tolerated during preregistration or at any time, and an abuse point of contact will be maintained at all times.

After the completion of Sunrise and Landrush periods, standard registrations will begin, and domains will be awarded to registrants on a first-come first-serve basis.

Abusive Conduct & Terms of Use

An anti-abuse policy will be enacted and publicly released prior to sunrise and launch of the .Golf TLD.

Dot-Golf LLC will reserve the right to disqualify registrants or their agents from making or maintaining any registrations or reservations in the .Golf TLD if these registrants are found to have repeatedly engaged in abusive registrations, in its sole discretion.

Abusive use(s) of the .Golf domain should not be tolerated.
The nature of such abuses creates security and stability issues for the registry, registrars and registrants, as well as for users of the Internet in general. Dot-Golf LLC defines abusive use as the wrong or excessive use of power, position or ability, and includes, without limitation, the following:
- Illegal or Fraudulent Actions;
- Spam: The use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages. The term applies to e-mail spam and similar abuses such as instant messaging spam, mobile messaging spam, and the spamming of Web sites and Internet forums. An example, for purposes of illustration, would be the use of email in denial-of-service attacks;

- Phishing: The use of counterfeit Web pages that are designed to trick recipients into divulging sensitive data such as usernames, passwords, or financial data;

- Pharming: The redirecting of unknowing users to fraudulent sites or services, typically through DNS hijacking or poisoning;

- Willful distribution of malware: The dissemination of software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the ownerʹs informed consent. Examples include, without limitation, computer viruses, worms, keyloggers, and trojan horses;

- Fast flux hosting: Use of fast-flux techniques to disguise the location of Web sites or other Internet services, or to avoid detection and mitigation efforts, or to host illegal activities. Fast-flux techniques use DNS to frequently change the location on the Internet to which the domain name of an Internet host or name server resolves. Fast flux hosting may be used only with prior permission of Dot-Golf LLC;

- Botnet command and control: Services run on a domain name that are used to control a collection of compromised computers or ʺzombies,ʺ or to direct denial-of-service attacks (DDoS attacks);

- Distribution of child pornography; and

- Illegal Access to Other Computers or Networks: Illegally accessing computers, accounts, or networks belonging to another party, or attempting to penetrate security measures of another individualʹs system (often known as ʺhackingʺ). Also, any activity that might be used as a precursor to an attempted system penetration (e.g., port scan, stealth scan, or other information gathering activity).

Pursuant to Section 3.6.5 of the RRA, Dot-Golf LLC reserves the right to deny, cancel or transfer any registration or transaction, or place any domain name(s) on registry lock, hold or similar status, that it deems necessary, in its discretion; (1) to protect the integrity and stability of the registry; (2) to comply with any applicable laws, government rules or requirements, requests of law enforcement, or any dispute resolution process; (3) to avoid any liability, civil or criminal, on the part of Dot-Golf LLC, as well as its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, and employees; (4) per the terms of the registration agreement or (5) to correct mistakes made by Dot-Golf LLC or any Registrar in connection with a domain name registration. Dot-Golf LLC also reserves the right to place upon registry lock, hold or similar status a domain name during resolution of a dispute. Abusive uses, as defined above, undertaken with respect to .Golf domain names shall give rise to the right of Dot-Golf LLC to take such actions under Section 3.6.5 of the RRA in its sole discretion.
Dot-Golf LLC will maintain an Abuse Contact at all times from the opening of sunrise and continuing into the standard registration period.

Reserved Names

Dot-Golf LLC will also maintain a reserved list. Some of these names will be reserved for regulatory or informational purposes. ICANN has already determined several of these on behalf of registry operators. Examples can be found in Specification 5 of the sample New gTLD Registry Agreement provided by ICANN in the Applicant Guidebook. Dot-Golf LLC intends to fully comply with this list and any additions that may be made in the future.

Dot-Golf LLC will continue to take consultations in an effort to maintain this list and the .Golf domain in a sensitive and respectful manner to the global golfing community. Dot-Golf LLC will reserve the right to disqualify registrants or their agents from making or maintaining any registrations or reservations in the .Golf TLD if these registrants are found to have repeatedly engaged in abusive registrations, in its sole discretion.

Some premium names will also be put on a reserved list and will be reserved for auction. Some premium names may be awarded to individuals or companies through a transparent process in the interest of developing key services or initiatives under the .Golf domain. For example, Dot-Golf LLC may host a "Founders Program," whereby people may apply for a premium name and demonstrate a valuable use. This will be done within reason and on a limited basis.

Dot-Golf LLC will not intentionally attempt to put trademarked names on the premium section of the reserved list, and will cooperate with any appropriate rights protection mechanisms. Premium domains will be established prior to launch.

Trademark "frontrunning," the process of registering trademarks for valuable domain names that have not been released to the general public for the sole purpose of securing the domain at a lower price, is deemed to be abusive to the registry and will not be recognized.

Finally, certain geographic names will be reserved and handled in accordance with procedures delegated by ICANN. For more detail on this section, please refer to Question 22.

Pricing Controls

Dot-Golf LLC fully intends to comply with the consensus policies outlined in sections 2.9 and 2.10, Article 2, of the sample New gTLD Registry Agreement provided in the New gTLD Applicant Guidebook, and to adapt to any changes made by ICANN in the future.

Summarizing these policies, Dot-Golf LLC intends to sell domains only through accredited ICANN registrars, to give clear and advance notices of prices or changes to prices for both initial sales and the renewal of domain registrations, to allow registrars and customers to purchase names for a period of 1-10 years and to comply with any further pricing control requirements that may be currently listed or later delegated by ICANN.

Dot-Golf LLC
Question 22

Certain geographic names will be reserved and handled in accordance with procedures delegated by ICANN. Dot-Golf LLC will reserve country and territory names, at the second level and at all other levels within the TLD at which the Registry Operator provides for registrations, as per the requirements in the New gTLD Registry Agreement (Specification 5, paragraph 5):

• "5.1 the short form (in English) of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, as updated from time to time, including the European Union, which is exceptionally reserved on the ISO 3166-1 list, and its scope extended in August 1999 to any application needing to represent the name European Union 〈http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166- 1_decoding_table.htm#EU〉;
• 5.2. the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Technical Reference Manual for the Standardization of Geographical Names, Part III Names of Countries of the World; and
• 5.3. the list of United Nations member states in 6 official United Nations languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names".

These domains will be reserved before Sunrise, so that no parties may apply for them. We will publish a list of these names before Sunrise, so our registrars and prospective applicants will be aware that these names are reserved.

Dot-Golf LLC will have a written procedure so that governments can request the above reserved domain(s) if they would like to take possession of them. This procedure will require a written request from the country's GAC representative, or a written request from the country's relevant Ministry or Department. As required by Specification 5, paragraph 5, such domains may be released to the extent that the Registry Operator reaches agreement with the applicable government(s).

If internationalized domains names (IDNs) are introduced in the TLD, Dot-Golf LLC will also reserve the IDN versions of the country names in the relevant script(s) before IDNs become available to the public. The lists referenced in Specification 5 paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 show how country names should be rendered in their native scripts. Dot-Golf LLC will confer with relevant language authorities when advisable or practical so that IDN domains may be properly reserved along with their variants.

Regarding GAC advice on second-level domains not specified via Specification 5: All domains awarded to registrants are subject to the UDRP, and to any properly situated court proceeding. In its registry-registrar agreement, and flowing down to registrar-registrant agreements, the registry operator will have a provision to suspend domains names in the event of a dispute. Dot-Golf LLC may exercise that right in the case of a dispute over a geographic name if the dispute is formally raised by the relevant government's GAC representative.

Alternatively, the GAC and ICANN may approve a widespread formal distribution policy of geographic names as also noted in Specification 5. Dot-Golf LLC will monitor changes or developments in this policy area and respond accordingly.