How to prepare a golf bag for travelling?

[Zeph]

Any tips on what I should do to prepare my golf bag for a golf grip which involves flying? The crucial part of the trip is obviously the baggage handling, I fear they might treat it so bad my driver will break or something. Should I use one of my older bags and not risk having a new one being thrown around? What about clubs, leave the expensive driver and 3 wood behind and pick up one of the replaced ones?

Thanks!

[Hidalgo]

Zeph, I've flown with clubs dozens of time and never had an incident. But you have to prepare properly.......

"Most" airlines will refuse clubs that aren't in a proper case. I assume that you already have this taken care of. The Club Glove evidently works well because the pros are using them. I personally purchased a SKB hard case. It looks like CRAP after all those trips, but it has done it's job in an exemplary manner.

Take all of your clubs. If you don't have confidence in your case to provide protection, you might want to re-evaluate your choice of cases. Quality cases are expensive, but if you are planning on traveling anytime in the future they are worth the cost.

I usually wrap a towel around the clubheads to provide another degree of cushioning (and for my peace of mind)

[Zeph]

I got club gloves, actually use them on my clubs all the time when I play. I love the silence of no club clattering. I also wipe the clubs after every usage before I put the glove back on. Takes no time and I like to choose my club, remove the headcover and have it ready.

I have not taken care of anything yet. My trip is not until late april, so I've got some time to prepare. I haven't heard of traveling cases before, do they look like these? http://www.golfsenterbutikken.no/mod...1&sl;=0&xid;=143
How do they work? Do you put the whole bag into the case? Are they solid, or should I put a long stick into the bag, slightly longer than the driver? Think I've seen those somewhere.

I've got a few golf shops within my area that I can look up. I definitely need all the confidence I can get, when don't we?
I will most likely stuff every spare space with bubblewrap towels or something, no doubt about that. I'm very throrough in what I do, that include packing. I've never shipped a package where you can rattle the items inside. I stuff it so full that nothing can move, and it also gives a great cushioning effect.

I'll obviously have to look up cases myself, but are most of them the same size and will fit any normalt stand bag? With an expensive golf set, I will take the cost of a good travelling case, no doubt about that. I have come to rest with this being an expensive sport long time ago.

[Zeph]

I'm too late to edit my previous post, so I'll just have to post a new one.

Anyone got thoughts on Ogio travel bags? With my Ogio bag, having an Ogio travel bag would be nice, though they are expensive.

The Straight Jacket is as far as I can tell not a bag, more a cover. The next is Ogio Monster, but it's almost too big for just a stand bag. The Ogio Monster is also large, and expensive.

[apex53]

I second Hidalgo, the Club Glove works great... They have a couple of options that I know of, a larger bag called "The Last Bag" I believe, and the smaller "Burst Proof"... Also the Stiff Arm is very useful... It's a telescoping "arm" that you make longer than the longest club in your bag... It will take the brunt of the force if your travel bag is dropped on the top of the bag... Ogio makes good products but I haven't used their stuff... The Club Glove Burst Proof has worked very well for me... Hope this helps

[Pat007]

I got a hard case and travel with it all the time. I just put a towel between the shafts to reduce chatter and (don't laugh) put socks on the irons so they don't get knicked up. I haven't had anything go wrong yet. I'm always more worried about my bag getting lost than it being damaged.

[Big Padrigo]

I have a tour trek bag, it's not a hard case, though I think it's described as burst proof. I travelled with my clubs quite a few times over the summer last year and never had a problem. I used the towel round my club heads and also packed my socks, and some gloves in that space as well to maximise the amount of soft cushioning material. I had no issues, it's a fantastic feeling arriving at a new course with the confidence that even if you don't know the course, you do have your trusty clubs.

[sosinsurr]

I just have a normal soft case though I take the same precautions above, wrapping the shafts and heads. I've flown all over the damned place, from hawaii to Europe and haven't had an incident yet...yes I just went over and knocked on wood LOL

[Zeph]

The Club Glove Burst Proof looks good, any reason for choosing f.i. Last Bag instead? I read somewhere that it is easily folded and stored away, does it not have hard plastic parts? I've never had a travel bag, so I'm not sure what to look for.

[Hidalgo]

Zeph, here's the one that I use: http://www.casesbyskb.com/golf/4814W.htm

It might seem a little pricey, but I can check it with the airlines and then forget about it.

[iacas]

http://thesandtrap.com/bag_drop/trav...ith_your_clubs
http://thesandtrap.com/throwing_dart...the_clubglider
http://thesandtrap.com/bag_drop/club...s_out_for_2008

[tim31x]

besides taking the proper shafts and club preparations...don't forget your accessories. i normally put everything in a ziploc bag so golf balls arent everywhere, sunscreen is broken, tee's falling out. the airline ppl aren't the best. they have to take out every club and inspect it, and they never get anything back to its rightfull place. bubble wrap in the empty space is a waste of time they will never put it back correctly. if you are paranoid get a hard shell case.

[ks8829]

Have you thought of using zip ties to bunch 2-3 clubs together with towels or bubble wrap material around the heads?

[Zeph]

Zeph, here's the one that I use:

Yep, I have been looking at it, probably the most solid golf case ever. Some extra padding and it's crash proof. Which case do you have?

I'm looking at the Deluxe Standard ATA Golf Travel Case: or the Standard Golf Case Will the Standard case be sufficient for a stand bag?

http://thesandtrap.com/bag_drop/trav...ith_your_clubs

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out.

besides taking the proper shafts and club preparations...don't forget your accessories. i normally put everything in a ziploc bag so golf balls arent everywhere, sunscreen is broken, tee's falling out. the airline ppl aren't the best. they have to take out every club and inspect it, and they never get anything back to its rightfull place. bubble wrap in the empty space is a waste of time they will never put it back correctly. if you are paranoid get a hard shell case.

They open the luggage and fool around with it? Why?

Have you thought of using zip ties to bunch 2-3 clubs together with towels or bubble wrap material around the heads?

I have got headcovers for all my clubs, but tying them together will give some extra safety.

[The Golfing Polack]

I just got my Ogio Mammoth last week. My trip isn't until next week but right now I'm very impressed with the quality. As with all Ogio products it has cool features that really set it apart. This sight has the best price I've seen so far for it. http://www.discountgolfworld.com/pro...ravel-bag.html It's not a hard case but the padding around the club heads is very good.

[Zeph]

The problem with f.i. Mammoth is I have to buy it internationally, making the shipping costs 50% of the price of the bag.

I'll see what they got on the closest golf shop tomorrow. They got a good selection of bags, so I hope they got some travel bags as well. It is definately the easiest option.

[DJYoshi]

I've had a Tour Trek travel bag for 2 years. it's similar to the cassini model that's out now. it came with golf club insurance (but not much), and it's pretty durable. Whenever I pack my clubs, I of course use head covers all on the clubs in the bag. I wrap my graphite shafts and my putter shaft and head with thin foam. i then put another piece of foam surrounding the outside of the golf bag and lay it down into the case. I travel around 20 weeks a year with my clubs, and they're awesome all the time.
i've seen TERRIBLE things happen to hard cases: cracks, breaking, opening, etc... they throw your sh** around the airport like you wouldn't believe.
and believe me, your hard case will get beat up and battered with a quickness. i'm forever gonna be a supporter of the foam bags...they're pretty awesome.

[Zeph]

A hard case with good padding inside would be the best, but I see how a hard case with no extra padding will get beat up.