Shipping clubs for a trip

[ElWagonne]

I've never been on a buddies trip but I'm doing one in October.  Wondering if anyone on here has shipped clubs to the location instead of paying for baggage fees.  Also trying to get reviews of services that ship clubs.  Any help would be appreciated.

[lumpuckeroo]

I've never done it but a friend of mine shipped his clubs via FedEx and said it worked great.  He travels for his work and was meeting his family in AZ during spring training.  He shipped his clubs on Monday before he flew out to work and when he flew into AZ, the clubs where at the hotel waiting for him.  I think round trip was about $150, he said it was much easier than lugging them thru the airport.

[cm70056]

I used Shipsticks.com and it was extremely pleasant.

After you setup your trip, put the dates in ship sticks to get costs and delivery dates. After that, all I had to do was print the ship sticks provided shipping labels and have my clubs boxed. Ship sticks schedules a delivery pickup (or you can drop-off at many locations) both ways.

I think I paid about $75 total for shipping to and from for my vacation from Illinois to Phoenix, AZ

I highly recommend them

[newtogolf]

Shipsticks picked up my clubs a day late going and a day late coming back, so I wasn't impressed.  If it had only happened one way I'd have given them a pass but after knowing they messed up shipping them out I'd have hoped they'd make sure the return trip was handled properly, no such luck.

They basically take the legwork out of you having to go to a FedEx or UPS store, but in the end that would have been easier for me.  I won't use them again.

[dave s]

Any FedEx Office location has the reusable shipping boxes for golf clubs.  Obviously, you have to buy the box and pay shipping both ways.  Here's what the wife and I do:

The FedEx golf club box is 12 x 12 x 48" long.  It easily holds a cart bag filled with 14 clubs with room to spare.  We put everything ELSE we need for a 3-4 day golf vacation inside the box as well.  This includes (mine) all my golf clothes, shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, clothes that I'll be wearing before and after golf, stuff like sunscreen, hats and pretty much anything else I think I might need.

We pack the boxes, tape them up, print round trip labels (don't forget to put the return label inside the box to relabel for return) affix label and drop them off at FedEx Office for Ground (surface) transport to wherever we're going.  You have to check service days from your place to wherever you are going to determine what day to ship.  FedEx Ground has delivered our boxes on time each time and had them waiting at the hotel / resort each time prior to our arrival.

Packing everything inside the golf club boxes means we're able to travel with one small suitcase that can be gate checked.  That contains enough stuff so that if the clubs are misrouted or show up a day late, we have essentials with us.

FedEx is a great service for shipping your clubs and anything else you can put in that box.  I think our boxes have been shipped out and back home about 4 times now.  Boxes need a bit of 'taping-up' to make sure the contents are safe, but other than that, great experience shipping this way.  You don't want to watch my wife try to navigate an airport with her golf bag in a travel bag with wheels.  Not pretty. And I can't manage two by myself AND our bags.

Shipping the clubs and everything else you can fit in that box makes way too much sense anymore.

dave

[plum]

i travel fairly often for work with clubs. i find its just easier and cheaper to check them at the airport. the one time i did, i used fedex. i seem to recall it costing around 140 bucks round trip

[scotth]

Reviving this old thread to get updated opinions on FedEx shipping clubs, Ship Sticks and anybody else that offers that service.

Headed home in October for to play old home course and catch a Longhorn game in Austin.  

I used to travel with my clubs quite often for work, and became such a hassle I finally just picked nicer courses to play and rented clubs there.  Really don't want to do that this go round, and just wondering a few years after this thread started what people are doing to get their clubs safely to their final destination.

I do have a hard travel case that I used to put my clubs and other stuff in.   Wondering if I should just bite the bullet and pay the extra baggage fee and do that.

Edited September 1, 2017 by scotth

[billchao]

  On 9/1/2017 at 11:35 AM, scotth said:

I do have a hard travel case that I used to put my clubs and other stuff in.   Wondering if I should just bite the bullet and pay the extra baggage fee and do that.

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If you already have a travel case, wouldn't it be cheaper just to fly with it? Or are you worried about airline baggage handling ineptitude?

[scotth]

  On 9/1/2017 at 12:04 PM, billchao said:

 If you already have a travel case, wouldn't it be cheaper just to fly with it?  Or are you worried about airline baggage handling ineptitude?

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Handling is a big concern.  Last time I took my clubs with me I cringed as I looked out the window and watched the handlers throwing golf cases back on the cart after they fell off as they drove to plane.

Also not sure if it is any more or less expensive to pay the baggage fee on American Airlines for my clubs vs using FedEx or somebody else.

Edited September 1, 2017 by scotth

[MarvChamp]

I am flying to SC Sept 26. After researching, I plan to use FedEx for clubs round trip. I'll report experience when I.return, but research confirms what was said about FedEx above. My reason is that as age creeps up, it is more difficult to haul bags thru airports. One thing I learned already is to make sure hotel will receive and store for you...Would be a bad thing to have them rejected. -Marv

[djake]

  On 9/1/2017 at 12:04 PM, billchao said:

Or are you worried about airline baggage handling ineptitude?

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@scotthI am glad this thread was revived, thank you

and yes I do worry about baggage handling ineptitude as I fly enough to see what happens to my luggage plus hauling clubs thru an airport just really sucks

 

[Lihu]

  On 9/1/2017 at 12:04 PM, billchao said:

If you already have a travel case, wouldn't it be cheaper just to fly with it? Or are you worried about airline baggage handling ineptitude?

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True, I'd rather check in the clubs for $25 than ship them. I used to do this and have done so many times.

  On 9/1/2017 at 12:42 PM, scotth said:

Handling is a big concern.  Last time I took my clubs with me I cringed as I looked out the window and watched the handlers throwing golf cases back on the cart after they fell off as they drove to plane.

Also not sure if it is any more or less expensive to pay the baggage fee on American Airlines for my clubs vs using FedEx or somebody else.

Expand  

I usually bubble wrap the heads individually then put bubble wrap around the entire bag inside the soft carrier that I use. It looks kind of bloated, but then I don't worry about the 10-20 foot drops the bag takes. 15+ trips including to Asia and my cheap $89 Costco Callaway bag is still working fine. I saw one hard shell case crack open and decided against buying them even though they're supposed to be better.

The other thing I sometimes did was to practice with some of my crappier clubs before a trip and take those with me.

But there's a 3rd option: Nowadays, I just rent a decent set of clubs for $40 and avoid all the hassles of bringing my own clubs. I rented a set for something like $12 in Boston with an aluminum driver, and that club kept all my drives on the fairway. Everything was R flex to boot. They worked better than my regular clubs that day. . .So much for having paid $350 for a fitted driver and another $300 for the 3W. Generally, rented clubs can be almost as good as your own set anyway. I go to a Golf store or club, and get a decent set for $40-$50 a round. The courses in China/Asia have really nice sets. No point in bringing my own clubs there.

[Vinsk]

  On 9/1/2017 at 1:06 PM, MarvChamp said:

I am flying to SC Sept 26. After researching, I plan to use FedEx for clubs round trip. I'll report experience when I.return, but research confirms what was said about FedEx above. My reason is that as age creeps up, it is more difficult to haul bags thru airports. One thing I learned already is to make sure hotel will receive and store for you...Would be a bad thing to have them rejected. -Marv

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I recently broke ties with ShipSticks. They screwed me royally on my last transaction in July. Awful customer service, incompetent handling of a clear mistake/false advertising on their behalf. I'll never use them again.

[upndown21]

  On 9/1/2017 at 12:04 PM, billchao said:

If you already have a travel case, wouldn't it be cheaper just to fly with it? Or are you worried about airline baggage handling ineptitude?

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I am pretty sure the same people load up the UPS/FedEx flights.

[billchao]

  On 9/3/2017 at 11:44 AM, upndown21 said:

I am pretty sure the same people load up the UPS/FedEx flights.

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Shipping companies are a bit better at getting things to the right destination, which is what I was referring to.

I expect all package/luggage handlers to be rough with my stuff and pack accordingly.

[jsgolfer]

  On 9/2/2017 at 10:20 PM, Lihu said:

True, I'd rather check in the clubs for $25 than ship them. I used to do this and have done so many times.

I usually bubble wrap the heads individually then put bubble wrap around the entire bag inside the soft carrier that I use. It looks kind of bloated, but then I don't worry about the 10-20 foot drops the bag takes. 15+ trips including to Asia and my cheap $89 Costco Callaway bag is still working fine. I saw one hard shell case crack open and decided against buying them even though they're supposed to be better.

The other thing I sometimes did was to practice with some of my crappier clubs before a trip and take those with me.

But there's a 3rd option: Nowadays, I just rent a decent set of clubs for $40 and avoid all the hassles of bringing my own clubs. I rented a set for something like $12 in Boston with an aluminum driver, and that club kept all my drives on the fairway. Everything was R flex to boot. They worked better than my regular clubs that day. . .So much for having paid $350 for a fitted driver and another $300 for the 3W. Generally, rented clubs can be almost as good as your own set anyway. I go to a Golf store or club, and get a decent set for $40-$50 a round. The courses in China/Asia have really nice sets. No point in bringing my own clubs there.

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$40/round for rentals?  That would get pricey if you played more than a couple of rounds.

[DaveP043]

I fly once or twice a year with my clubs.  I've looked at FedEx and Ship Sticks, and its always been more expensive than paying the airline.  I use a high-quality (ClubGlove) travel bag, and I've never had any problems.  I've read, and it makes sense, that I should remove the heads from my long clubs and store them in a pocket to minimize the chance of damage.  I'd also consider something like the Club Glove Stiff Arm (https://www.clubglove.com/StiffArm/) to decrease the chance of damage.  I strongly prefer a soft case, its much easier to fit into a rental car, and takes up vastly less space rolled up in your hotel room.

[CarlSpackler]

When I have travelled with my clubs, which isn't often because it is such a pain, I use a Samsonite bag with roller wheels. I wrap several towels and around the clubheads to protect them. 

Im going to Costa Rica in a few weeks and I'm tempted to take them. I probably won't though.