Golf Travel Bag - What Are We Allowed to Pack in It?

[longdrive23]

Are we allowed to pack golf shoes and a set of clothes along with the clubs during travel?

I once checked in a set of clubs in a travel case and during check-in (to London), I was asked what other things are packed in the case. I had nothing else other than clubs. He told me that i'm not allowed to pack clothes etc with it.

Any advise/experiences on this topic?

[Rkrider99]

I think it goes by overall weight. If you're not allowed to pack clothes in it, what about my rain jacket, my windbreaker, my sweater??

I don't travel much any more, but when I did, I packed it until I filled the travel case, clothes, shoes, whatever I couldn't fit in my normal suitcase.

My son travels extensively with his clubs, usually for business trips and he packs all kinds of business stuff in his case, especially if he's going to some convention where he has to give out the travel mugs, golf towels, all kinds of goodies. He did say that he noticed that they opened the bag and searched the contents a couple of times. They usually leave a notice when they do that, but he's never had anything missing, and they've never complained.

[DaveP043]

You should really read the airline's policy, they're usually pretty specific.  Here's what United says:

Quote

 

An item of golf equipment consists of:

One golf bag containing one set of golf clubs

Golf balls

One pair of golf shoes

 

Now I almost always pack 2 pairs of shoes, and my rain gear, and occasionally diorty laundry on my return home, and have never had an issue.  I also ALWAYS make sure I'm under the weight limit, which is usually 50 pounds.

[Patch]

I pack everything I'm legally allowed to take in my travel bag. I even put clothes around my club heads, and bag for  protection from the baggage handlers. 

A travel bag for me is one less suitcases to worry about.

Only problem I ever had was my golf travel bag came with a small pad lock. I locked my bag. After it was checked in, and gone behind the curtain,  the TSA, FBI, CIA, SS, HSA, and 4 Boy Scouts went looking for me to unlock it for inspection.. 

[David in FL]

As long as I’ve kept it under the single bag weight limit of 50lbs, I’ve never had the contents questioned at all.

[DaveP043]

17 hours ago, Patch said:

I pack everything I'm legally allowed to take in my travel bag. I even put clothes around my club heads, and bag for  protection from the baggage handlers. 

A travel bag for me is one less suitcases to worry about.

Only problem I ever had was my golf travel bag came with a small pad lock. I locked my bag. After it was checked in, and gone behind the curtain,  the TSA, FBI, CIA, SS, HSA, and 4 Boy Scouts went looking for me to unlock it for inspection.. 

You're lucky the lock wasn't simply cut off.  TSA has the authority to open any bag for inspection, and there are TSA-approved locks that they can open using master keys, and relock when they get done.

[boogielicious]

I put my shoes in it and other golf related things. Nothing living of course. They frown on that. 

[DeadMan]

What you’re technically allowed to bring is whatever the airline’s rules are. That said, I’ve never had a problem if my bag is under 50 pounds. I will pack extra stuff in there like clothes, shoes, etc.   

I’m guessing foreign and budget airlines are the ones that would care the most about this.

[djake]

I take my Driver head off and place that in my suitcase.  I also use a club protector or a broom stick if you do not have one and wrap towels around my clubs.  I will pack 1 pull over with my clubs and 1 pull over in my carry on luggage.

A couple dozen golf balls plus a dozen loose balls in my bag and 1 pair of golf shoes.  I always weigh my bag to make sure it is under 50 pounds.  I do not lock my bag because of TSA and I do not pack electronics at all.  They can tend to go bye bye sometimes.

In my carry on luggage I will pack another dozen golf balls BUT a good TSA agent will always open the luggage and inspect.  The shape of a dozen golf balls in a box gets them pretty nervous.  

I put my golf GPS in my computer backpack as that is the only way I can protect it from disappearing.  I always bring my work laptop on all trips, as I own a business and with that I never ever get to go on a full vacation without doing any work.  Every vacation, every long weekend trip I have to do something every day on my laptop.  Thankfully with phones I can do quick email answers.  Detailed spec answers I need my laptop.

I rarely purchase travel insurance as I do fly a lot but when I am traveling with golf clubs I do purchase the extra travel insurance.

[leftybutnotPM]

21 hours ago, longdrive23 said:

Are we allowed to pack golf shoes and a set of clothes along with the clubs during travel?

I once checked in a set of clubs in a travel case and during check-in (to London), I was asked what other things are packed in the case. I had nothing else other than clubs. He told me that i'm not allowed to pack clothes etc with it.

Any advise/experiences on this topic?

The information is available on the website of the airlines. In any case, the person at check-in told you his airlines's policy.

American Airlines say:

For example, if you are taking golf clubs with you, you will be charged the same fee as the 1st or 2nd baggage fee of your destination. You can travel with 1 golf bag with up to 14 golf clubs, 12 golf balls and 1 pair of golf shoes. If the golf bag contains anything other than the approved items, additional oversize and overweight charges will apply.

 

Quote

Patch said: Only problem I ever had was my golf travel bag came with a small pad lock. I locked my bag. After it was checked in, and gone behind the curtain,  the TSA, FBI, CIA, SS, HSA, and 4 Boy Scouts went looking for me to unlock it for inspection.. 

Presumably, these are the same "Boy Scouts" who try to protect you from terrorism.

 

 

[boogielicious]

5 hours ago, leftybutnotPM said:

The information is available on the website of the airlines. In any case, the person at check-in told you his airlines's policy.

American Airlines say:

For example, if you are taking golf clubs with you, you will be charged the same fee as the 1st or 2nd baggage fee of your destination. You can travel with 1 golf bag with up to 14 golf clubs, 12 golf balls and 1 pair of golf shoes. If the golf bag contains anything other than the approved items, additional oversize and overweight charges will apply.

 

Presumably, these are the same "Boy Scouts" who try to protect you from terrorism.

 

 

I’ve gone with a couple of dozen balls and there was no issue. 

[Warren Zevon]

I’ve found that the screening agents at whatever airport I go through are more worried about the can or two of aerosol bug spray than the actual contents of my golf bag.  
 

I usually shove as much crap as I can into my golf bag before traveling.  As stated above, if it’s not over 50 pounds I’ve found they don’t have too many issues

[iSank]

You can put a kitchen sink in there as long as your under 50lbs domestically, I think it’s a bit more internationally (from experience not by reading the rules). 
I once put my favorite dress shoes in my golf bag on an overnight HNL-SFO-DFW to Tampa, I barely made it, and my golf bag never did. AA paid me $1500, I took a loss, and now put one of those locators when I travel with my clubs. 
They were a nice set, and I was young.

[FlyingAce]

I have golf trips to Hawaii every year and I fly with Alaska Air. I pack EVERYTHING  into the golf bag so I don’t have to check another bag in. So far no issues. I lock my bag with a TSA approved lock and they always open and rearrange my things. And I always pack to the limit of 50lbs!

[ChetlovesMer]

17 hours ago, boogielicious said:

...Nothing living of course. They frown on that. 

Crumbs! I was thinking that would be a great way for my son to travel with me for cheap. 

[phan52]

On 2/18/2020 at 11:25 AM, David in FL said:

As long as I’ve kept it under the single bag weight limit of 50lbs, I’ve never had the contents questioned at all.

This. And they have gone through my bag almost every time I have traveled with it. They leave a notice that they did it. And never zip anything back up. 😣

[Vinsk]

57 minutes ago, phan52 said:

This. And they have gone through my bag almost every time I have traveled with it. They leave a notice that they did it. And never zip anything back up. 😣

Just don’t try to pack toilet paper or hand sanitizer in there. It’ll be gone before the belt even makes a full rotation.

[gbogey]

I've packed all kinds of stuff into mine without issue as long as I keep it under 50 pounds.  Yes, TSA opens the bag a high percentage of the time. My guess is the TSA guys are golfers just being nosy.  I always take a picture of my bag when I check it.  One airline in particular had a long habit of mis-placing my golf clubs, and in one instance explained that they just got missed on the loading dock as clubs go on the plane last.  They would ask me to describe what it looked like and I would pull out a picture and say, "it's big, yellow and black. How could you overlook it?"