Airlines and Golf Bags

[hanalei]

Was watching the LPGA tourney yesterday, according to the commentator, don't remember who it was but she apparently had 9 out of 12 sets of clubs stolen while traveling on tour!? Scary!

[TourSpoon]

I traveled once with a soft sided bag with my carry bag. I used a piece of 1/4" pvc pipe in the bag that stuck out more than my drive with a piece of foam on in. No issues. I think Fed Ex is a little pricey, but seems to have found a little niche.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by InTheTwenties

Hello all, what is the best way to travel with your gear?

Do you put it in general cargo and risk loss or theft? Or do you carry it on? What about those combo bags/kits with the hard plastic body? Any thoughts and hindsight would be appreciated because I'm planning a trip to a resort that as a nice golf course.

Anyone have any horror stories?

.

DON'T bother spending $300 for one of those hard plastic travel cases - I did tht & they smashed the locks (looked like they levered them open with a screwdriver) & broke both locks to get inside to go through the bag .. you can't even lock your bags anymore.     Was pissed beyond belief, but nothing I could do & they wouldn't reimburse me for the ruined expensive travel case.    I'm mailing my clubs in avance next time I travel using Fed Ex.

[Artimas]

I use a soft bag and protect the clubs this way:

Purchase a wooden closet rod for a couple of bucks.

Cut it so it extends about an inch longer than the driver.

Get an old tennis ball and cut an "X" in it, then slip it onto the end of the dowel.

Keep it in the bag during transit.

I've traveled around the US and to Europe with this method and never had a problem.

[uttexas]

I've been using the fully solid/hard Cargo Golf Pro 700 for ten+ years with no problems. Used over 50x on airplanes. Occasionally, I'll get lazy when I return from a trip, and it stays as my regular bag for months at a time (fits on my push cart). Prior to the Cargo Pro, I had a soft nylon shell travel bag. I always had to sign a waiver when using the nylon shell, but never had issues with the hard constructed Cargo Golf Pro. Seen too many ground crews abusing bags to ever consider soft shell golf travel cases/shells. [VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTBBalZaUX8[/VIDEO]

[bigwave916]

Originally Posted by renefjr

I bought the Club Glove Last Bag with the Stiff Arm. I've yet to take it on a trip but will be doing so this summer on a trip to Japan.

I've used one of these for quite a long time now. The Stiff arm is an important addition. Northwest broke my driver (to be fair it was 48" driver) when I first got the bag,  and before the Stiff Arm, but since then I've had no problems other than you can pack so much stuff in the thing that I have to weigh it before I leave to make sure I don't pay an overweight bag charge.

Reminds me of the time that I sat in the aisle seat watching the bags load and I saw a couple of bags, including my own. Fairly attractive lady sitting next to me noticed I was looking out the window. I didn't want her to think that I was giving her the eyeball from close range (I'll admit, I did peak once or twice) so I said "Look at how rough they are handling the golf bags". Just as the words came out of my mouth they throw a bag on a pile upside down. I mean club head down with the bottom and the wheels sticking up in the air.  She leans over me and yells to the guy in the center seat on the other side "Oh my god, honey, you should have seen what they just did to your clubs. Then the 800 lb gorilla threw mine on top of theirs. Obviously, money spent money to protect your clubs when you travel is money well spent"

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by inthehole

DON'T bother spending $300 for one of those hard plastic travel cases - I did tht & they smashed the locks (looked like they levered them open with a screwdriver) & broke both locks to get inside to go through the bag .. you can't even lock your bags anymore.     Was pissed beyond belief, but nothing I could do & they wouldn't reimburse me for the ruined expensive travel case.    I'm mailing my clubs in avance next time I travel using Fed Ex.

You're required to use a TSA-approved lock (i.e. one that they can open with a master key) on any checked luggage.  I know hard plastic cases with such locks exists, yours must just not be one of them.

[plum]

basically this is the bag i travel with. i travel with clubs pretty often and have never had any issues. used well over 50 times here as well and never have to sign any waivers in the 5 years ive owned and used it. IMO this is the best way to go

Originally Posted by uttexas

I've been using the fully solid/hard Cargo Golf Pro 700 for ten+ years with no problems. Used over 50x on airplanes. Occasionally, I'll get lazy when I return from a trip, and it stays as my regular bag for months at a time (fits on my push cart). Prior to the Cargo Pro, I had a soft nylon shell travel bag. I always had to sign a waiver when using the nylon shell, but never had issues with the hard constructed Cargo Golf Pro. Seen too many ground crews abusing bags to ever consider soft shell golf travel cases/shells.

[plum]

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

You're required to use a TSA-approved lock (i.e. one that they can open with a master key) on any checked luggage.  I know hard plastic cases with such locks exists, yours must just not be one of them.

what he said. this goes for any and all bags checked on a plane. they are going to be checking inside it

[RayG]

what he said. this goes for any and all bags checked on a plane. they are going to be checking inside it

Rubbish- I bought a TSA approved lock lock after they snapped the previous non-TSA approved lock to check the clubs on a trip to Tampa. This is after 15+ years of using my own locks with no trouble- never had a problem. When I arrived back home, the TSA APPROVED lock was clipped off and the note inside said pretty much that. "They needed to cut off the lock to check inside." Unfortunately, I had already arrived at home and didn't check at the carousel. So if they can't be bothered to use their "master" key on their own approved locks, you're pretty much in a crapshoot if they open the bags or not.

[uttexas]

The TSA approved locks that have worked for me don't require a master key or combination. They are threaded locks that anyone can unlock. My guess is that the men/women in the baggage security check area can't always find the master key, so they just break the lock if it requires a key or combo. The TSA approved lock on the Cargo Golf Pro and other luggage is a threaded lock, where you just turn the nut counter clockwise to unlock (no combination/no key)

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

I traveled once with a soft sided bag with my carry bag. I used a piece of 1/4" pvc pipe in the bag that stuck out more than my drive with a piece of foam on in. No issues.

You make a nice point........I do something very similar with my golf umbrella.   I'll wedge it in a slot so it's really tight and left sticking out of the bag in the same manner.

[RayG]

The TSA approved locks that have worked for me don't require a master key or combination. They are threaded locks that anyone can unlock. My guess is that the men/women in the baggage security check area can't always find the master key, so they just break the lock if it requires a key or combo. The TSA approved lock on the Cargo Golf Pro and other luggage is a threaded lock, where you just turn the nut counter clockwise to unlock (no combination/no key)

Then why spend the extra money for a TSA lock? Or ANY lock for that matter.

[uttexas]

Then why spend the extra money for a TSA lock? Or ANY lock for that matter.

The TSA approved threaded lock secures luggage from opening during ground crew abuse/transit. I've traveled 50+ times with the cargo golf pro and it's TSA threaded lock. The lock secures a pin that keeps the hard lid on top of the travel bag and clubs. The cargo golf pro always comes off the baggage carousel locked and intact. Often, I'll find a piece of paper inside the lid (after unlocking it and opening it to retrieve my clubs) that states the bag was inspected.

[RayG]

The TSA approved threaded lock secures luggage from opening during ground crew abuse/transit. I've traveled 50+ times with the cargo golf pro and it's TSA threaded lock. The lock secures a pin that keeps the hard lid on top of the travel bag and clubs. The cargo golf pro always comes off the baggage carousel locked and intact. Often, I'll find a piece of paper inside the lid (after unlocking it and opening it to retrieve my clubs) that states the bag was inspected.

Ground abuse/transit is one thing, but I don't put a lock on things to protect it from abuse. I put a lock on things to protect them from theft. If ANYONE can open the threaded lock, then why bother with a lock in the first place? A zipper is usually strong enough for that kind of protection, or I can use my $1 locks just as semi-piece of mind.