First golf travel vacation... help

[sigfan2340]

I will be taking my first golf travel vacation in a couple months requiring a flight, all others have been by car. Since I have never done this, can you seasoned travel vets give me some pointers?

[RayG]

Fly JetBlue or Southwest. JB has ONE free bag, SW has 2 free bags. Get a decent soft-side travel bag with wheels, the hard cases are a beeyotch to tote around and won't fit in some rental cars unless you want them to be in the passenger seat. Even with a soft side, use towels, bubble wrap and a broom handle cut to the length of your driver plus an inch or so, and stick a tennis ball on the end of it. Put it in the bag in the event of a header by the handlers. Other than that, pick a nice place and have fun. OR- if you are based in Wisconsin (that's WI, right?) and aren't served by SW or JB, you can think about shipping your bags via FedEx or UPS to the hotel or resort instead of using up luggage allowances. Just notify the hotel that they would be coming on such and such a day and they'll hold them until you arrive. If it is a Golf Resort, they know how to deal with it and would probably send them to the course for you and arrange or help arrange shipping home again. If you just bring carry-ons, then you aren't waiting around luggage carousels or "oversize baggage" windows.

[sigfan2340]

Thanks for the suggestions! The flight and resort has been booked already so that parts done. I thought about shipping the clubs to the resort but I learned we are stopping and playing a course off the resort on the way to the resort so that's out. I am glad you said something about the hard cases, I was going to buy one. I think I think I will get this instead.....

http://www.golfgalaxy.com/maxfli-tour-travel-cover/w14mxfltrtvlcvr/product

and one of these.....

http://www.golfgalaxy.com/PAPMICEDNFGPBOAK/product?&green;=D6AD20C2-0E64-5160-AECE-885A88C47E55&key;_id=mybuys_webrecs&clickid;=prod_cs

Do I still wrap the top of the clubs in bubble wrap as well?

[Lihu]

  sigfan2340 said:

Thanks for the suggestions! The flight and resort has been booked already so that parts done. I thought about shipping the clubs to the resort but I learned we are stopping and playing a course off the resort on the way to the resort so that's out. I am glad you said something about the hard cases, I was going to buy one. I think I think I will get this instead.....

http://www.golfgalaxy.com/maxfli-tour-travel-cover/w14mxfltrtvlcvr/product

and one of these.....

http://www.golfgalaxy.com/PAPMICEDNFGPBOAK/product?&green;=D6AD20C2-0E64-5160-AECE-885A88C47E55&key;_id=mybuys_webrecs&clickid;=prod_cs

Do I still wrap the top of the clubs in bubble wrap as well?

The broom handle and tennis ball, as suggested by @RayG will be way cheaper. Like $5 for handle and tennis balls.

I bought the http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30089627/tour-trek-gts-1-travel-cover-fe

~$55 including tax.

I didn't use any bubble wrap, but that's a great idea.

[RayG]

Bubble wrap, extra towels, whatever can get as much extra padding without making it too heavy or bulky. PLUS- As I've used soft sided bags since forever on various trips all over- you can pack other necessities in there. A few extra shorts, T-shirts, socks, undies, etc... So if you can only pack 3-4 days worth of necessaries in your carry on, you can certainly get a couple of extra days worth in your golf bag. PLUS- if it's checked you can put larger bottles of sunscreen, shampoo and the like in there as well. You aren't limited to the 1.5 oz limit in your carry ons.

[iacas]

Can't recommend the ClubGlider by Sun Mountain highly enough.

[ilikefishes]

  iacas said:

Can't recommend the ClubGlider by Sun Mountain highly enough.

Yep!

[SwampfireR1]

Also, check with the airline what the maximum weight is for checking your golf travel bag. I believe its 60#. If your over they hit you hard with extra fees.