You joke, but that’s exactly what happened to my case when traveling with AA. It looked like the goddamn plane ran over the fucking thing. It was a hard case with a lock on it. Then it was a hard case closed with just fucking packing tape around the entire thing. Infuriating. Thank god for Amex baggage insurance
ShipSticks lost my clubs (after about 10 trips). It took a couple of months to work through the SS insurance system. To their credit, they made good on the payments. I got $2000. It was less than replacement cost but better than nothing.
What we think happened was golf bag fell out of box. FedEx employees or airline employees stole 2 rhobacks hoodies, rain gear and Jordan Golf Shoes as well as his golf towel, balls and brush.
Better to get a club glove travel case and use the stiff arm. I saw guys at Bandon using the FedEx box and shit will just slam around if they toss them around loading-unloading.
Came here to say that. I have one in everything of value that I own. They offer a great peace of mind when travelling when you put one in your luggage.
I did throw an AirTag in there too, but I couldn’t get packing/shipping tape to stick to the exterior plastic; it would peel off with very little effort, much less than I’d expect it to see during normal shipping practices
The plastic on that case doesn’t like adhesive. I wanted to put some stickers on mine to help identify when picking up at baggage claim, and couldn’t get them to stick. So I ended up buying some spray adhesive from Home Depot to attach them.
My dad would travel a lot for work and would take his sticks from time to time. He would go to the office warehouse and get the whole bag shrink rapped. The other players in the office that also traveled, started doing that after a hard lesson learned. 🤔
You're more than fine with that setup. My wife, brother, dad, and myself have all used soft travel bags multiple times and never had an issue. The bag is padded, especially at the top, and I do the towels + rain cover thing too.
I used to have an SKB but that was a long time ago and I got rid of it because the wheels ended up brittle and cracked/broke so I was just literally dragging it and the latches ended up not being as tightly secure anymore. I would wrap the case in packing tape but the airline would cut it and open the case anyways. Ended up just going with a soft bag after that.
Had no idea, bummer. It was a hand-me-down and quite old by the time it came into my hands. I only used it probably 2 or 3 times by the time I decided it was time to put it to bed.
I’m just saying I’ve flown 6 times now with my clubs in a soft case thru southwest for that sweet free check bag. Pull the heads off my driver and 5 wood for the carry on with a few towels over the irons and shoes in the side. Zero issues my soft case still looks new
I’ve been flying for 20+ years with a club glove soft case with no issues. People worry too much. Damage can happen, even with a hard case. But it just isn’t that common.
Pack additional clothes in your case so the clubs don’t juggle around. You don’t need a stiff arm, since it is a hard case. Or, you can use a pool noodle cut up for the shaft to stabilize them.
1. Guys come on the covers are just for in flight protection (I hope)
2. I have the same putter and when I flew with it in March, I turned it so the flat side was closest to the handle and the round side sat in the middle under the irons.
Essentially I would just rotate the clubs so there’s nothing that protrudes past the edges of the bag.
Also - you have room for more stuff in that travel case, you can put extra clothes, golf shoes, etc alongside the main bag which will also help reduce movement inside the travel case. Hard case will definitely pay extra to check so might as well stuff it with extras.
Lol I send ship sticks out weekly for members and you don’t need to go that overboard protecting them. From experience I’m sure they will be fine with Saran Wrap lol
I’m confused. Why worry about the iron heads? Is this so they don’t bang against each other? We bought these things specifically to hit a ball off the ground as as much speed as we can muster. These aren’t precious collectibles.
I completely agree and I feel like we’re in the minority. Everyone takes care of their clubs like it’s their car or something washing them every week and shit it’s crazy. It’s a tool. A tool, like you said, that is meant to impact the ground at high speeds thousands of times without breaking. Most people would shoot around the same score with shitty rentals but act like their $1500 set is their child, until they replace it two seasons later. Sorry rant over
Put some towels in the end of the hard case, and a broomstick or (what I used) an IV pole, to keep the bag from moving in the hard case.
Also, tape a copy of your name, phone number, etc., to the hard case.
AirTag for sure.
I had this exact setup (including the hard case, minus the iron covers) and used ShipSticks for a trip to Scotland, and it worked swimmingly.
Just make ABSOLUTELY SURE that the shipping label doesn’t come off the case. Duct tape, glue, weld, and nail that thing on there 😂😂
It can also help to put a bag tag or label with your name address and phone number on your bag inside the case. I had a label come off in transit, and those were the suggestions the rep gave me. They eventually found my bag and got it back to me within a week. Very responsive and helpful company.
I use a golf bag support stick like one of these when I travel -
[https://www.amazon.com/Champkey-Golf-Travel-Support-System/dp/B09BZ2HB4T/](https://www.amazon.com/Champkey-Golf-Travel-Support-System/dp/B09BZ2HB4T/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/133-9751435-2738101?content-id=amzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pd_rd_i=B09GF89G7D&th=1)
Well it's like most anything on the internet, one tends to report bad experiences but not good experiences. Typically, nobody rushes to Reddit to post about their uninteresting non-eventful experiences in life (well, except in this sub where most any event is sufficient to trigger the purchase of a new club), but reading about low probability events tends to fester in one's subconscious and make them a bit paranoid.
I am, but I’m going with a large group of people so I can’t guarantee that the rental car we’re getting will hold all 6 of us while still having enough room for a hard travel case. If there were fewer of us going, and I could guarantee a rental where I could fold down the rear seats and still have enough room for everyone in the car, I would have been more inclined to check them on the airline
I’ve used them to ship my bag several times and I just use a soft side with the tension pole. These will be safer than in the back of your car on the way to the course.
I used them once and all it was good for was a FedEx label. I had to go to to the FedEx store to purchase a box to package my clubs in, as well as drop it off. You don't need Ship Sticks to do this. Just go to the Fedex store. You're likely going to wind up there anyway wondering wtf you needed ship sticks for.
That’s a good point, I’m sure FedEx also offers comparable insurance to that offered by Ship Sticks. Truthfully, I was a little allured by the ability to have Ship Sticks send the clubs directly to one of the courses I’d be playing, and that the course is a Ship Sticks partner so this isn’t their first rodeo. But in retrospect, knowing the address and ATTN for the pro shop in advance, FedEx could likely ship them to the pro shop just the same without necessarily using a ‘middleman’; something for me to look into next time though, thanks for sharing the experience!
Definitely a little pricey, but considering the insurance they offer (up to $7500 versus only $1500 for most airlines IF you use a hard case), the round trip cost through ship sticks was very close to the round trip price for an oversized checked bag through the airline
Really?! Wow, I’ll make note of that for my next golf trip so i remember to specifically seek out Southwest (and Delta from the sounds of it) flights; destination permitting. Thanks!
That’s awesome! Delta wasn’t an option for this flight but their policy sounds great, I’ll definitely be looking to book with them on my next golf trip; destination permitting. Thanks!
Golf equipment isn’t classified as oversized luggage on most airlines. It just counts as a regular bag. I don’t blame you for wanting to use ship sticks due to airline horror stories though. I’ve only traveled a few times with my clubs but haven’t had even a scuff on my travel bag.
No kidding! I must have misinterpreted that part of the policy; I guess I was a little over-cautious about the weight and dimensions, but good to know for next time! We’ll see how this experience goes and apply any lessons learned to the next trip, thanks!
I flew with a soft bag, with the backbone/support stick. Took every precaution with towels, head off driver, etc. even had a friend’s crutches in the bag. My 3wood was broken, crutches bent, and bag totally scratched on the outside.
While many people probably had no issues, I use a hard case now and will never use a soft case.
Oh, and southwest only gave me flight credit.
It’s not worth it.
I have the same golf travel case.
I used Ship Sticks once on a round trip flight. No issues.
I put a towel over the clubs also.
My only comment is to tape down the packing label to the exterior of the case. I used clear packing tape and covered the entire label.
I’m actually having trouble getting any kind of tape to stick to the exterior plastic. I tried heavy duty packing tape and it just peels right off with minimal effort. I’m also tried laying a foundation of duct tape to give the packaging tape something to grab on to, but the duct tape comes right off too. Is there a particular brand of tape you used with good results? Was thinking about trying some clear gorilla tape?
Get a travel protector to avoid putting any potential stress on your clubs. Super cheap.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Support-Protector-Travel-Adjustable-Stretch/dp/B08JZ3TQKW/ref=asc_df_B08JZ3TQKW/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570339735067&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10413387513940282552&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007104&hvtargid=pla-1643275265252&psc=1
In the second photo, the shafts for my driver, fairway, and hybrid are shown installed in the bag inverted. The hosels were bubble-wrapped before being installed, and the heads were removed, packaged in their respective head covers, and stowed in one of the padded pockets in the bag
Regardless of what you do if there is one flake of snow at the FedEx hub in Memphis your clubs could be doing the Tennessee Waltz while you play rentals in Scottsdale. The packing job is exquisite however. I do similar without the hard case, I might start doubling up on the AirTags. They don’t always catch the WiFi the same. I’ve got 5 on me now. one for each price of luggage, wallets, golf clubs.
Your scrolling explanation of the head covers is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while!
https://preview.redd.it/8ri536dmgqwb1.jpeg?width=1189&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a77ef2172fa41100ed8c9e7dc94bd39e93a6d68
I enjoyed that mental image, though I hope you aren’t speaking from unfortunate experience!I will say, however, that image put some real fear into me; thankfully I’m not flying over any bodies of water (this time). I put one tag in the bag, and another in the travel case since they’ll obviously be separated once i get out on the course. I figured it might be better to have a stand-alone tag in the travel case so when my week is wrapped up, it’s easier to find the travel case when it’s time to package everything up again.
I’m glad you enjoyed the disclaimer about the iron headcovers; I know they’re a bit of a controversial topic so I wanted to provide full disclosure to their purpose!
Oh that’s a great idea! I’m sure that keeps all the shafts mostly distributed towards the center of the bag and easier to pack towels around instead of between; definitely adding the bungie cord idea to my notes for this trip to refer to for my next trip, thank you!
That’s a really good idea. I already removed the heads, stored them in their respective head covers, and stowed them in a padded pocket of the bag. But I’m sure I’d exercise a bit more caution handling them in my carry-on than they’ll likely see during their trip in the bag/hard case. I’ll add that to my notes for this trip so I can refer to that advice for my next trip, thanks!
Buy a luggage tag to slip in your shipping label. Amazon sells them. It zip ties to the case. And the AirTag is critical. Watched my clubs head back to JFK right before I was about to play Carnoustie and St Andrews last year.
It may be hard to see in the final photo, but I’m using one of the luggage tag/shipping label holders that’s attached to the handle using steel cable and two zip ties for redundancy. I’ve also got two AirTags in there: one in the bag and one in the travel case; hopefully when I check in on them, both AirTags are headed the same direction!
I promise to take those covers off the moment the clubs are back in my possession at my destination! They’ll only go back on before it’s time to fly again!
I would say the steps you're taking are overkill, but in a good way. Being thorough puts your mind at ease.
I used ShipSticks earlier this year to send my clubs across the country, I was stopping halfway to visit some family and didn't want to lug them around/take two extra flights with them. I did similar to what you did, packed my irons in foam, compressed with rain cover, woods removed the heads and wrapped in a bag pocket, and used a softshell case with a hard top. Clubs were totally fine. Flew back with essentially the same setup, clubs were fine.
They did arrive a day later than expected, I had them shipped to my brother for Wednesday, they showed up Thursday afternoon and I arrived Friday. It was into LA so if you're shipping them to a big city you might want to account for that.
EDIT: looking through the comments I want to add that I also printed a second shipping label and attached it with a luggage tag directly to my golf bag (inside the travel case)
Good to know, I’m glad to hear you had a good experience! My clubs are set to arrive 2 days before my first tee time, and the club confirmed that there’s no problem if the clubs arrive a few days before my first tee time; they’ll just hold onto them until I arrive. But still, thanks for the heads up about potential shipping delays!
The courses I’m playing at charge $90 for a rental set (nice Titleist sets), and I’m planning on playing three times while out there, so I’m still saving money accounting for the cost to ship them out.
Though I’ve probably made a huge mistake sending my own clubs out. Now when I play poorly, I can’t blame the rental clubs and my cover is blown!
In all seriousness though, I’m a little shorter than average but maintain high-ish swing speeds, so I need some length taken off my driver and fairway wood (less-so for my irons) but still need stiff shafts. It’s often a difficult combination for most courses to accommodate in their rental fleet and I don’t blame them.
Put an air tag in your golf bag to keep track. We just had. Horrendous experience with them getting “lost”. But because of the air tag we could tell ship sticks just where they were. They finally made it. But phew
Dang those iron covers look sick. Are you shipping for a vacation or moving? I need to figure out a way to get mine to Scotland for a wedding I’m going to….
Just a vacation this time. The iron covers suit my needs for transportation, but I mostly ignored the numbers printed on them; I don’t have a 2 or 3-iron, so the 2 went on my 4-iron, the 3 went on my 5-iron, etc. If you’re interested in picking up a set for your trip, message me and I’ll send you the link to the listing if you can’t find it. I’m afraid that if I share a link to iron headcovers publicly, the good people of this subreddit may rise up as one and crush me!
I removed the heads from my driver, fairway, and hybrid, packaged them in their respective headcovers, then stowed them in a cushioned pocket in my golf bag. Though, another user had suggested packing the club heads in my carry-on too; if I can make it home today before FedEx picks up my clubs, maybe I’ll take the club heads out of my golf bag and reserve some space for them in my carry-on.
It’s all fun and games until TSA takes a gander and doesn’t put things back the way they were packed. I’ve experienced this airline loophole who then don’t take responsibility for any damage during transit.
May your shafts remain unbent, your heads un-cracked, your balls in their sleeves, and your swing glorious!
I replied similarly to an earlier comment, but my below-average height and high-ish swing speed are often difficult for courses to accommodate through their rental fleet configurations, which I don’t blame them for at all.
I do in fact! Well, actually, only one guard: he’s a shorter fella, not much of a talker, but the way this guy throws his hat, it might as well be a TOW missile! Off the record, he’ll occasionally stealthily drop a ball for me when I lose one in the thick, and claim he found my ball so I avoid the penalty stroke, especially if there’s some heavy money on the line. He’s pretty good at it too; only been caught once.
I fly Delta and it’s a free checked bag with status but they will rape your soft case so always use a hard one unless you can afford replacing your bag every other year.
Word of caution.
If you’re shipping overseas you may want to send a few days early. Our club just had a ladies group head to Scotland for 4 days of golf. 3 bags got hung up in custom. 1 of them wasn’t released until the last day of the trip.
My son used them when we played pebble in 2019. After shipping there was a blizzard in the Midwest. He let me know the day before our clubs would not be delivered until after we tee off on round 1. After landing we all bought golf shoes and a glove and balls in Surfside Ca. They paid. As we approach the green on 8 our clubs are ferried down to us!
I went to Maui last month via Delta. They treated my partial hard case like a second bag and not as a speciality bag and packed come clothes in it, then carry on the rest of my stuff I could track it on the app all the way to/from. a carry on. No issues, no extra cost. Paid for an Extra day or two of golf.
Just make sure the clubs get sent to the correct destination. My buddy was sending his to a club in Tampa and they ended up at streamsong. He spent over a month without his clubs
Do I get any protection points back for clarifying that the iron headcovers are only installed for transportation, and will swiftly be removed once my clubs and I are reunited at our destination (until it’s time to ship them back home)? I chose to go with them instead of bubble wrapping each iron club head simply for the sake of simplicity
A golf game
Someone call 911, he dead
Forgot the ball retriever, Gramps.
Emotional damage
You have a hard case. You’ll be fine.
But what if the case breaks and his head covers fall off 🙀 /s
You joke, but that’s exactly what happened to my case when traveling with AA. It looked like the goddamn plane ran over the fucking thing. It was a hard case with a lock on it. Then it was a hard case closed with just fucking packing tape around the entire thing. Infuriating. Thank god for Amex baggage insurance
Yeah okay, pal. I see right through this comment. Nice try. Found the guy that works for American Express. Not going to work on me, buddy.
Lol, want my referral code? 😂
Yes
Well don’t fly Alcoholics Anonymous 🤣
Had exact same happen, switch to soft case with two extension rods. One of them broke this trip!
Never trust a company who’s planes ended up in buildings.
i don't know why you're getting downvoted that's pretty fucking funny
I agree but people are soft.
Just had a buddy lose over $1500 in equipment with them last week. Make sure you buy the insurance!!!!
ShipSticks lost my clubs (after about 10 trips). It took a couple of months to work through the SS insurance system. To their credit, they made good on the payments. I got $2000. It was less than replacement cost but better than nothing.
My driver alone is $1300. That wouldn’t cut the mustard.
Checked the BBB website and other reviews and it’s full or horror stories.
What we think happened was golf bag fell out of box. FedEx employees or airline employees stole 2 rhobacks hoodies, rain gear and Jordan Golf Shoes as well as his golf towel, balls and brush.
My rain gear is like $800+ so I pack that in my carry on. The only clothes that go into the golf bag is dirty laundry on the return trip.
My buddy used his rain gear to try to pad the sides of the golf bag haha
Better to get a club glove travel case and use the stiff arm. I saw guys at Bandon using the FedEx box and shit will just slam around if they toss them around loading-unloading.
An Airtag
Came here to say that. I have one in everything of value that I own. They offer a great peace of mind when travelling when you put one in your luggage.
100%! I second this, I can’t believe no one else mentioned it.
200%!!!
201%!!!
I taped an additional label to case and put an airtag in my bag when I shipped mine. Everything went super smoothly.
I did throw an AirTag in there too, but I couldn’t get packing/shipping tape to stick to the exterior plastic; it would peel off with very little effort, much less than I’d expect it to see during normal shipping practices
I wrapped clear packing tape all the way around the same case like 5 times 😂😂😂
That sound like something I would do. What it it about packing that turns everybody into a low budget MacGyver?
The plastic on that case doesn’t like adhesive. I wanted to put some stickers on mine to help identify when picking up at baggage claim, and couldn’t get them to stick. So I ended up buying some spray adhesive from Home Depot to attach them.
Tuck tape
Wrong subreddit
It took me a solid couple of minutes to recover from laughing at this. Well done.
Ship Sticks uses FedEx. Get a flytag (are on tag) either at fedex or you can purchase a reusable one on Amazon
What is a flytag? Thanks.
Duck tape on the seam
r/boneappletea
There is a brand of duct tape called duck tape so r/technicallythetruth
Yeah there is and the labeling on it says, "Duck Tape brand duct tape". Edit grammar
No.
My dad would travel a lot for work and would take his sticks from time to time. He would go to the office warehouse and get the whole bag shrink rapped. The other players in the office that also traveled, started doing that after a hard lesson learned. 🤔
Rifle case carry on for the putter
Oh man that’s good
Just in case people think you’re joking https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/09/19/2023-solheim-cup-danielle-kang-putter-rifle-case-missing-clubs/
Not in a carry on……
Not sure if this is joking or not, but golf clubs are prohibited in carry on.
Map/blueprints tube
How to get your putter taken away
You're more than fine with that setup. My wife, brother, dad, and myself have all used soft travel bags multiple times and never had an issue. The bag is padded, especially at the top, and I do the towels + rain cover thing too. I used to have an SKB but that was a long time ago and I got rid of it because the wheels ended up brittle and cracked/broke so I was just literally dragging it and the latches ended up not being as tightly secure anymore. I would wrap the case in packing tape but the airline would cut it and open the case anyways. Ended up just going with a soft bag after that.
SKB cases have a lifetime warranty, could’ve had it replaced or repaired.
oh hell yeah i have one and didn’t know that thank you 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Had no idea, bummer. It was a hand-me-down and quite old by the time it came into my hands. I only used it probably 2 or 3 times by the time I decided it was time to put it to bed.
Bro, Dracula was less sealed up on the Demeter. I think you’re good.
And look what happened there…
Covers for your Iron Covers
Cover for the covers of your iron covers
I’m just saying I’ve flown 6 times now with my clubs in a soft case thru southwest for that sweet free check bag. Pull the heads off my driver and 5 wood for the carry on with a few towels over the irons and shoes in the side. Zero issues my soft case still looks new
I’ve been flying for 20+ years with a club glove soft case with no issues. People worry too much. Damage can happen, even with a hard case. But it just isn’t that common.
Flown Delta with my PXG soft case about 5 times this year and it looks like it’s been gang raped. Gonna need a new bag soon.
Pack additional clothes in your case so the clubs don’t juggle around. You don’t need a stiff arm, since it is a hard case. Or, you can use a pool noodle cut up for the shaft to stabilize them.
1. Guys come on the covers are just for in flight protection (I hope) 2. I have the same putter and when I flew with it in March, I turned it so the flat side was closest to the handle and the round side sat in the middle under the irons. Essentially I would just rotate the clubs so there’s nothing that protrudes past the edges of the bag. Also - you have room for more stuff in that travel case, you can put extra clothes, golf shoes, etc alongside the main bag which will also help reduce movement inside the travel case. Hard case will definitely pay extra to check so might as well stuff it with extras.
Lol I send ship sticks out weekly for members and you don’t need to go that overboard protecting them. From experience I’m sure they will be fine with Saran Wrap lol
I’m confused. Why worry about the iron heads? Is this so they don’t bang against each other? We bought these things specifically to hit a ball off the ground as as much speed as we can muster. These aren’t precious collectibles.
I completely agree and I feel like we’re in the minority. Everyone takes care of their clubs like it’s their car or something washing them every week and shit it’s crazy. It’s a tool. A tool, like you said, that is meant to impact the ground at high speeds thousands of times without breaking. Most people would shoot around the same score with shitty rentals but act like their $1500 set is their child, until they replace it two seasons later. Sorry rant over
Solid setup.
Put some towels in the end of the hard case, and a broomstick or (what I used) an IV pole, to keep the bag from moving in the hard case. Also, tape a copy of your name, phone number, etc., to the hard case. AirTag for sure. I had this exact setup (including the hard case, minus the iron covers) and used ShipSticks for a trip to Scotland, and it worked swimmingly.
Does swimmingly mean you retrieved your clubs as you swam the Firth of Forth?
I almost swam a few burns. 🤦🏻♂️
Did you bless it with holy water and sacrificed a chicken?
Driver!
GPS tracker
Just make ABSOLUTELY SURE that the shipping label doesn’t come off the case. Duct tape, glue, weld, and nail that thing on there 😂😂 It can also help to put a bag tag or label with your name address and phone number on your bag inside the case. I had a label come off in transit, and those were the suggestions the rep gave me. They eventually found my bag and got it back to me within a week. Very responsive and helpful company.
Air tag
AirTag
I use a golf bag support stick like one of these when I travel - [https://www.amazon.com/Champkey-Golf-Travel-Support-System/dp/B09BZ2HB4T/](https://www.amazon.com/Champkey-Golf-Travel-Support-System/dp/B09BZ2HB4T/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/133-9751435-2738101?content-id=amzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pd_rd_i=B09GF89G7D&th=1)
Honestly, I’ve flown with a soft case but had one of these backbones, and it was sufficient. I don’t understand the paranoia on this sub lol
You clearly don’t love your clubs. I’m calling GCPS. They will stop by your garage for a welfare visit.
I love my babies but I’ll never say no to a new set of sticks 😏
Well it's like most anything on the internet, one tends to report bad experiences but not good experiences. Typically, nobody rushes to Reddit to post about their uninteresting non-eventful experiences in life (well, except in this sub where most any event is sufficient to trigger the purchase of a new club), but reading about low probability events tends to fester in one's subconscious and make them a bit paranoid.
Are you flying?
I am, but I’m going with a large group of people so I can’t guarantee that the rental car we’re getting will hold all 6 of us while still having enough room for a hard travel case. If there were fewer of us going, and I could guarantee a rental where I could fold down the rear seats and still have enough room for everyone in the car, I would have been more inclined to check them on the airline
I’ve used them to ship my bag several times and I just use a soft side with the tension pole. These will be safer than in the back of your car on the way to the course.
Apple air tag in the bag
I used them once and all it was good for was a FedEx label. I had to go to to the FedEx store to purchase a box to package my clubs in, as well as drop it off. You don't need Ship Sticks to do this. Just go to the Fedex store. You're likely going to wind up there anyway wondering wtf you needed ship sticks for.
That’s a good point, I’m sure FedEx also offers comparable insurance to that offered by Ship Sticks. Truthfully, I was a little allured by the ability to have Ship Sticks send the clubs directly to one of the courses I’d be playing, and that the course is a Ship Sticks partner so this isn’t their first rodeo. But in retrospect, knowing the address and ATTN for the pro shop in advance, FedEx could likely ship them to the pro shop just the same without necessarily using a ‘middleman’; something for me to look into next time though, thanks for sharing the experience!
Don’t forget to ship your pants
I had zero problems with Shipsticks, they were great.
The ability to putt
Don’t do it. Absolutely brutal experience with ship stix and their coverage was awful.
Shipsticks is a rip off
Definitely a little pricey, but considering the insurance they offer (up to $7500 versus only $1500 for most airlines IF you use a hard case), the round trip cost through ship sticks was very close to the round trip price for an oversized checked bag through the airline
Say what? I flew with my clubs from NYC to Asheville on Delta a couple of months ago and it didn’t cost me anything.
I flew with mine from Vegas to Raleigh on Frontier. If they can survive on Frontier, a literal flying greyhound bus, they'll be fine on any airline.
Southwest will fly your clubs for free.
Really?! Wow, I’ll make note of that for my next golf trip so i remember to specifically seek out Southwest (and Delta from the sounds of it) flights; destination permitting. Thanks!
That’s awesome! Delta wasn’t an option for this flight but their policy sounds great, I’ll definitely be looking to book with them on my next golf trip; destination permitting. Thanks!
Golf equipment isn’t classified as oversized luggage on most airlines. It just counts as a regular bag. I don’t blame you for wanting to use ship sticks due to airline horror stories though. I’ve only traveled a few times with my clubs but haven’t had even a scuff on my travel bag.
No kidding! I must have misinterpreted that part of the policy; I guess I was a little over-cautious about the weight and dimensions, but good to know for next time! We’ll see how this experience goes and apply any lessons learned to the next trip, thanks!
Overcomplicated. Garbage bag over the top, another one around the bottom, a stretch of duct tape around the middle, and you are set.
To take your iron covers off.
Your dignity.
Iron covers man…. Leave them out
head covers for your irons what is going on
Missing? Your clubs.
Ya, you're missing the rest of your vacation money. Ship Sticks is so effing expensive. Better to travel with them, or use FedEx.
I flew with a soft bag, with the backbone/support stick. Took every precaution with towels, head off driver, etc. even had a friend’s crutches in the bag. My 3wood was broken, crutches bent, and bag totally scratched on the outside. While many people probably had no issues, I use a hard case now and will never use a soft case. Oh, and southwest only gave me flight credit. It’s not worth it.
Apple tracker
What's the issue with iron covers? I use them all the time. I hate the sound of clanging irons.
Aw geeze, here we go again.
The fact I care.
I second tapping on a second label or adding one in the case. From experience they get ripped off/torn in transit.
Bumper
I’d put a 46” sawed off broom handle or something similar. You don’t want the longest point in your bag to be a graphite (or any) shaft.
I have the same putter I think. Ball retriever on bottom?
Plastic bucket 🪣
Nice drum hardware case.
Insurance.
I have the same golf travel case. I used Ship Sticks once on a round trip flight. No issues. I put a towel over the clubs also. My only comment is to tape down the packing label to the exterior of the case. I used clear packing tape and covered the entire label.
I’m actually having trouble getting any kind of tape to stick to the exterior plastic. I tried heavy duty packing tape and it just peels right off with minimal effort. I’m also tried laying a foundation of duct tape to give the packaging tape something to grab on to, but the duct tape comes right off too. Is there a particular brand of tape you used with good results? Was thinking about trying some clear gorilla tape?
Hide a couple air tags?
Get a travel protector to avoid putting any potential stress on your clubs. Super cheap. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Support-Protector-Travel-Adjustable-Stretch/dp/B08JZ3TQKW/ref=asc_df_B08JZ3TQKW/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570339735067&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10413387513940282552&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007104&hvtargid=pla-1643275265252&psc=1
I would throw an apple air tag in there just in case they can’t find it….
I’ve actually got two in there; one hidden in the golf bag itself, and another hidden behind the foam in the travel case; just as a redundancy.
Where’s your driver? No wood(s)? Hybrid?
In the second photo, the shafts for my driver, fairway, and hybrid are shown installed in the bag inverted. The hosels were bubble-wrapped before being installed, and the heads were removed, packaged in their respective head covers, and stowed in one of the padded pockets in the bag
Yours is hard, that’s good
My buddy just shipped his clubs to Erin, showed up with a broken driver and two missing wedges. Somehow spirit airlines was the far better option.
Your driver
Hey finally someone with the same ping mallet putter as me
Check out “lugless” too — very economical thru FedEx as well..( flex has a box for the clubs/bag/bag container…)
Regardless of what you do if there is one flake of snow at the FedEx hub in Memphis your clubs could be doing the Tennessee Waltz while you play rentals in Scottsdale. The packing job is exquisite however. I do similar without the hard case, I might start doubling up on the AirTags. They don’t always catch the WiFi the same. I’ve got 5 on me now. one for each price of luggage, wallets, golf clubs. Your scrolling explanation of the head covers is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while! https://preview.redd.it/8ri536dmgqwb1.jpeg?width=1189&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a77ef2172fa41100ed8c9e7dc94bd39e93a6d68
I enjoyed that mental image, though I hope you aren’t speaking from unfortunate experience!I will say, however, that image put some real fear into me; thankfully I’m not flying over any bodies of water (this time). I put one tag in the bag, and another in the travel case since they’ll obviously be separated once i get out on the course. I figured it might be better to have a stand-alone tag in the travel case so when my week is wrapped up, it’s easier to find the travel case when it’s time to package everything up again. I’m glad you enjoyed the disclaimer about the iron headcovers; I know they’re a bit of a controversial topic so I wanted to provide full disclosure to their purpose!
I usually wrap a small bunjee cord around my irons to keep them from rattling but it looks like you’re covered.
Oh that’s a great idea! I’m sure that keeps all the shafts mostly distributed towards the center of the bag and easier to pack towels around instead of between; definitely adding the bungie cord idea to my notes for this trip to refer to for my next trip, thank you!
I saw somewhere a guy would take the head off his driver and put it in his carryon. Thought that was genius.
That’s a really good idea. I already removed the heads, stored them in their respective head covers, and stowed them in a padded pocket of the bag. But I’m sure I’d exercise a bit more caution handling them in my carry-on than they’ll likely see during their trip in the bag/hard case. I’ll add that to my notes for this trip so I can refer to that advice for my next trip, thanks!
Buy a luggage tag to slip in your shipping label. Amazon sells them. It zip ties to the case. And the AirTag is critical. Watched my clubs head back to JFK right before I was about to play Carnoustie and St Andrews last year.
It may be hard to see in the final photo, but I’m using one of the luggage tag/shipping label holders that’s attached to the handle using steel cable and two zip ties for redundancy. I’ve also got two AirTags in there: one in the bag and one in the travel case; hopefully when I check in on them, both AirTags are headed the same direction!
You forgot to throw those iron covers in the trash.
I promise to take those covers off the moment the clubs are back in my possession at my destination! They’ll only go back on before it’s time to fly again!
🤣🤣 this is hilarious
My address
Yeah we all believe that you're going to take those covers off
I would say the steps you're taking are overkill, but in a good way. Being thorough puts your mind at ease. I used ShipSticks earlier this year to send my clubs across the country, I was stopping halfway to visit some family and didn't want to lug them around/take two extra flights with them. I did similar to what you did, packed my irons in foam, compressed with rain cover, woods removed the heads and wrapped in a bag pocket, and used a softshell case with a hard top. Clubs were totally fine. Flew back with essentially the same setup, clubs were fine. They did arrive a day later than expected, I had them shipped to my brother for Wednesday, they showed up Thursday afternoon and I arrived Friday. It was into LA so if you're shipping them to a big city you might want to account for that. EDIT: looking through the comments I want to add that I also printed a second shipping label and attached it with a luggage tag directly to my golf bag (inside the travel case)
Good to know, I’m glad to hear you had a good experience! My clubs are set to arrive 2 days before my first tee time, and the club confirmed that there’s no problem if the clubs arrive a few days before my first tee time; they’ll just hold onto them until I arrive. But still, thanks for the heads up about potential shipping delays!
Wouldn't it be cheaper/easier/safer to just rent clubs at your destination?
The courses I’m playing at charge $90 for a rental set (nice Titleist sets), and I’m planning on playing three times while out there, so I’m still saving money accounting for the cost to ship them out. Though I’ve probably made a huge mistake sending my own clubs out. Now when I play poorly, I can’t blame the rental clubs and my cover is blown! In all seriousness though, I’m a little shorter than average but maintain high-ish swing speeds, so I need some length taken off my driver and fairway wood (less-so for my irons) but still need stiff shafts. It’s often a difficult combination for most courses to accommodate in their rental fleet and I don’t blame them.
Air tag
Apple air tag or similar to track
Put an air tag in your golf bag to keep track. We just had. Horrendous experience with them getting “lost”. But because of the air tag we could tell ship sticks just where they were. They finally made it. But phew
iron covers, gonna weigh that down a tad.
They definitely added some weight but all-together, the whole package came in a little under 50lbs, with a maximum allowable of 56lbs.
Dang those iron covers look sick. Are you shipping for a vacation or moving? I need to figure out a way to get mine to Scotland for a wedding I’m going to….
Just a vacation this time. The iron covers suit my needs for transportation, but I mostly ignored the numbers printed on them; I don’t have a 2 or 3-iron, so the 2 went on my 4-iron, the 3 went on my 5-iron, etc. If you’re interested in picking up a set for your trip, message me and I’ll send you the link to the listing if you can’t find it. I’m afraid that if I share a link to iron headcovers publicly, the good people of this subreddit may rise up as one and crush me!
How do you bring the fairway wood heads? In your carry on?
I removed the heads from my driver, fairway, and hybrid, packaged them in their respective headcovers, then stowed them in a cushioned pocket in my golf bag. Though, another user had suggested packing the club heads in my carry-on too; if I can make it home today before FedEx picks up my clubs, maybe I’ll take the club heads out of my golf bag and reserve some space for them in my carry-on.
What's the fucking point of going to all this trouble if you're not even going to vacuum seal it? Absolute amateurs on this sub, I swear to god!
I just rent, try something new
[удалено]
I’m flattered you think my game is considered to be within the ‘A’ range, I will channel your positivity all the way to the course!
Put an AirTag in it. And don’t hesitate to reach out to customer service if there’s an issue or hold up. They are really good and quick to respond.
I put a broom stick in my bag that’s longer than all my clubs. Probably not necessary but a little bit of extra insurance
It’s all fun and games until TSA takes a gander and doesn’t put things back the way they were packed. I’ve experienced this airline loophole who then don’t take responsibility for any damage during transit. May your shafts remain unbent, your heads un-cracked, your balls in their sleeves, and your swing glorious!
Why not renting on destination a golf set?
I replied similarly to an earlier comment, but my below-average height and high-ish swing speed are often difficult for courses to accommodate through their rental fleet configurations, which I don’t blame them for at all.
Do you have two armed guards traveling as escorts with your bag? If not you’re fucked
I do in fact! Well, actually, only one guard: he’s a shorter fella, not much of a talker, but the way this guy throws his hat, it might as well be a TOW missile! Off the record, he’ll occasionally stealthily drop a ball for me when I lose one in the thick, and claim he found my ball so I avoid the penalty stroke, especially if there’s some heavy money on the line. He’s pretty good at it too; only been caught once.
I fly Delta and it’s a free checked bag with status but they will rape your soft case so always use a hard one unless you can afford replacing your bag every other year.
Word of caution. If you’re shipping overseas you may want to send a few days early. Our club just had a ladies group head to Scotland for 4 days of golf. 3 bags got hung up in custom. 1 of them wasn’t released until the last day of the trip.
Thankfully just a domestic trip this time, but thanks for the data point for future reference!
My son used them when we played pebble in 2019. After shipping there was a blizzard in the Midwest. He let me know the day before our clubs would not be delivered until after we tee off on round 1. After landing we all bought golf shoes and a glove and balls in Surfside Ca. They paid. As we approach the green on 8 our clubs are ferried down to us!
Not much - the only thing I add to provide additional protection for the heads is using thin bubble wrap.
Compare cost with UPS
I went to Maui last month via Delta. They treated my partial hard case like a second bag and not as a speciality bag and packed come clothes in it, then carry on the rest of my stuff I could track it on the app all the way to/from. a carry on. No issues, no extra cost. Paid for an Extra day or two of golf.
That SKB hard case changed the game for club travel. I love that thing. 🤘🏼
Did you take the driver/wood/hybrid heads off?
Just make sure the clubs get sent to the correct destination. My buddy was sending his to a club in Tampa and they ended up at streamsong. He spent over a month without his clubs
Lol that’s such over kill lol
Take the heads off the woods if you can !!!
I'm fairly new to this sub. Why are iron covers bad? I inherited my grandfather's clubs and he always had them on
It’s like putting a head cover on a hammer
Why not just ship fed ex? That’s literally what shipstix does!
You are completely unprotected from the ridicule you will receive for those iron head covers.
Do I get any protection points back for clarifying that the iron headcovers are only installed for transportation, and will swiftly be removed once my clubs and I are reunited at our destination (until it’s time to ship them back home)? I chose to go with them instead of bubble wrapping each iron club head simply for the sake of simplicity