Traveling with your clubs - suggestions welcome

I rarely take my clubs on a flight (I can think of one time I've ever done it) but I'm going to Hawaii in a couple weeks and am bringing them along to play a couple rounds.  I have a soft travel bag and wonder if anyone has any suggestions for what they do?  Two things I have found in research is the following:

• I ordered a Club Glove Stiff Arm, which basically becomes the longest club in the bag to prevent the driver taking any pressure from careless baggage handlers.
• Pack the clubs in as small a space as possible in your bag to prevent them from rattling and banging around too much.

Anyone have any other tips they always follow?

You already covered the stiff arm.  I have a club glove bag, but I went the cheaper route and just put a broomstick with a tennis ball on the end in there.  It will accomplish the same.  But if you do have a soft case bag, the stick and/or stiff arm is a MUST.  The very first time I flew, the broomstick (which was aluminum) had a kink in it.  So that would've been my brand new 910 shaft had I not put in the broomstick.

Besides putting your name and phone number on the bag somewhere, I think you've got it covered.  I usually take some extra towels and wrap them around the clubs to keep the irons from banging on each other.

Also, I wouldn't put a lock on the case.  My case has only flown with me 4 times but its been checked by TSA twice.  If there is a lock on there they will break it and not pay you for it.

I just packed my clubs up last night to get ready for my Georgia golf and Masters trip!

Probably too late but if you plan to travel very often with the sticks get a ClubGlider. Best travel bag hands down. Great protection and ease of use in one package.

I own a Bag Boy travel bag, its nice, really good padding around the clubs. But its a bit to big, so i bought a Stiff Arm, which helps out a ton. What i also do is take one of my hoodies, and wrap that around my golf clubs above the golf bag. This way, if anything hits there it adds more padding and limits movement laterally. It also has a nice wheel system, were the half the back is hard plastic. No problems so far

I recommend TSA locks, there sold at walmart, they have a red diamon on them. TSA has a master key to them, so they can check the bag, then re-lock the bag for you. Its very nice, very good locks. If you don't have a TSA lock, TSA will cut your lock off your bag

Thanks guys - looks like I have the right ideas.  We have some TSA locks, so I'll throw one of those on.

Ship 'em.

This is one good time to have iron head covers (when traveling).

Wrap a towel or clothing through and around the clubs; finish with a nice wrap on top.

Remove adjustable heads.

Pray.

IF it's a long haul like Hawaii, why not just send them FedEx?

Are you going to play the day before you leave, and the day you get back? If not, consider FedEx.

I have the Last Bag with the stiff arm. Travelling from Florida to California, Hawaii, Denver was no

problems except... a big bulky bag to carry. Car rentals have to be minivans or SUV. This is

not a problem in the U.S...

So I streamlined. This setup was easy, light (16 pounds).

It Survived trips to Asia without any problem.

The setup:

1) Plano Airliner Telescoping Rod Case. $65 at Bass Pro shops.

2) Adjustable driver. (You need to be able to take off the head)

I carried 12 clubs with ease. (7 irons, 1 wood, 1 driver, 2 hybrids, putter.)

In the included picture, all my hybrids

and woods have the heads removed. However, I have also packed it

with just the driver's head removed, and the hybrids and wood head stayed attached.

The case is just one notch longer.

I put some bolts on the case to attach a strap to make easier to take it around.

You just have to pack a sunday bag. The Sunday bag, club heads, head covers

goes into the normal luggage.

This package sits in the floor of a cab or in a trunk easily.

The best way to travel with clubs for me.