Do you leave your clubs in your car all season long?

[billchao]

40 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

Yeah it is always hard to choose between the Lambo and the Ferrari...

It mostly depends on which one matches my outfit that day better 😉

[Valleygolfer]

Just now, billchao said:

It mostly depends on which one matches my outfit that day better 😉

Of course Ian....

[Vinny Cap]

1 hour ago, Patch said:

My gamers stay in the house. My other two sets stay in a locked vehicle. The vehicle is in a locked garage. There is a 6' block wall, with gates, surrounding the property. At any given time there could be 450lbs of dogs running loose in the yard. 

We live in a small town, where the police do their jobs. Not alot of serious crime goes on around here.

There was a course in Vegas where there was a serious problem of bag thefts. Turned out to be kids. People would drop off their bags at the unmanned drop, and go park their car. Their bag would be gone when the got back. Others would lose the bags out of the back of their pick up while inside a nearby convince store. 

Weather out here can get into the higher triple digits. Any clubs left in a truck for extended lengths of time run the risk of the epoxy connections breaking down. Happened to me. 

I was up north earlier this year. My putter I left in an out door compartment of the RV in below zero weather for a few days. It was made up of two different metals. Going from extreme cold to warmer temps, apparently separated the two metals. My 20+ year old putter was unusable. I was almost devistated...lol

No, it's best to protect your golfing tools, and that's all golf clubs are, tools. Heck, clubs aside, just replacing a bag can be expensive these days. Those folks who use trollies, need to protect those too. 

@Patch  Thanks for the feedback as I thought I heard or read about some kinds of issues with epoxy/glue but didn't remember where I saw/read/heard it.

Sorry about the putter.  I never even thought about metals separating.  Wow.  RIP old trusty!  🙏

51 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

This, except I also have a bedrug. It's like a giant trunk. And hey I take offense to the:

I do have a very nice trunck and it protects my clubs nicely and I paid a lot....

 

Yeah it is always hard to choose between the Lambo and the Ferrari...

Not sure what the offense was.  I didn't want to put up hundreds of choices.  I figured those 4 would cover just about anything.

Trunks are usually pretty secure unless you have to fold a seat down, like I have to to fit my bag, hence exposing your clubs.  People with SUV's and pickups are the ones who probably get their clubs stolen most as everyone can see them unless you have a cargo cover/slider or cover them with a sheet/blanket.

I also have multiple cars and never know what I am taking to the course so that's just another reason not to leave them in the car.

I use to live in Florida but didn't play golf then so I would have figured with the summer heat some would experience issues with grips or glue/epoxy or bag deterioration.

Edited May 4, 2018 by Vinny Cap

[Valleygolfer]

Just now, Vinny Cap said:

Not sure what the offense was.

 

I wasn't really offended but it sounded jabby like since I don't take my clubs out they are cheap and I don't care about them...so I busted your cajones on it.. 😬 It was the only answer that implied you cared about your clubs.

[Vinny Cap]

7 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

I wasn't really offended but it sounded jabby like since I don't take my clubs out they are cheap and I don't care about them...so I busted your cajones on it.. 😬 It was the only answer that implied you cared about your clubs.

NICE!    A cajones buster!  LOL  Love it!

That's why I put " Yes I do, never really thought about it. "  I figured that covered the other side.

[Vinsk]

I keep mine in my Suburban all year round. Never had a problem.

[ScouseJohnny]

I probably fuss around my Buick LaCrosse more than I should. Golf clubs left in the trunk of a car, based on past experience, tend to morph into shoes, towels, sweat-stained hats, grass, empty water bottles, empty sleeves of golf balls, and other detritus left in the trunk. So my gear comes out of the trunk and into the basement after each round, and the trunk stays clean and vacuumed!

Edited May 4, 2018 by ScouseJohnny

[RandyBobbitt]

I think in the old days of wound balata balls they could be affected by temperature extremes. I even remember hearing stories of the balls exploding because of the liquid centers (maybe an urban legend?). But with today's solid balls the temperature extremes may not be an issue. I think the excess heat might be bad for the grips, however. I always bring them inside unless I'm playing or practicing again the next day. 

 

 

[Typhoon92]

They go in the car in April, come back out in December.

[TheLittleDucklets]

In the car first sign of spring and out once snow hits. You never know when a golfing opportunity might come along, so have to be prepared at all times. 

[1badbadger]

20 hours ago, Vinny Cap said:

I wonder the effects of the heat on the glue, grips and any other issues that might arise from sitting in the car in the hot summer months.

If anyone knows of any adverse effects of them sitting in the heat/cold/moisture, please chime in.

I have a lot of experience dealing with this issue.  I live in Texas, and obviously it gets pretty hot here during the summer.  When I was doing club repair/club building, most people might be shocked at how many clubs were brought in each week to have the heads re-set.  

I don't know exactly what the temperature is in the trunk of a car during a hot summer day, but I know it's hot enough that when clubs are removed it's not unusual for irons to be too hot to touch!  If you cannot wrap your hand around one of your irons because it's too hot, do not hit your clubs until they have had a chance to cool down.  Otherwise your heads might come lose or fly off.

Even if your clubs aren't that hot when you play, storing your clubs in the trunk will cause the epoxy to heat up, and cool down repeatedly, which can weaken the bond.  This can result in a head flying off, which could hit another player causing injury or become lost if it lands in a water hazard.

It's a good idea to inspect your clubs often.  If you notice a gap between the top of the hosel and the ferrule, this means either the head is lose or the ferrule needs to be re-set.  If 1 or more of your grips appear to be misaligned or seem to be crooked, this can be an indication that the shaft has come lose and twisted.  To check, firmly grab the clubhead in one hand and the end of the grip in the other and twist back-and-forth.  There should be no movement or squeaking.  If there is, the heads need to be re-epoxied.

Car trunks are also hard on grips and golf balls.  These items are made of rubber, and can lose performance when stored in a hot environment.  Grips will tend to dry out and get slick much quicker when kept in the car or even the garage. 

[Typhoon92]

Vinny and I living in the northeast shouldn't have issues...lucky to have 10 90 degree days a year. 

I worry more about the cold!

Now Patch on the other hand...you said " upper triple digits"!!!  You live in Hell??  Let me know where exectly...I'll send my wife there, she'll only have to have the electric blanket on " low".

 

[Valleygolfer]

16 minutes ago, Typhoon92 said:

Vinny and I living in the northeast shouldn't have issues...lucky to have 10 90 degree days a year. 

I worry more about the cold!

Now Patch on the other hand...you said " upper triple digits"!!!  You live in Hell??  Let me know where exectly...I'll send my wife there, she'll only have to have the electric blanket on " low".

 

Yea my trunck does not get very warm up here. Hell we only get over ninety a few days a year. 

[tlazzol]

I had one set stolen out of the back seat of my car may years ago.  Another set was in the back seat with the sun beating down on a hot day.  Heads of the irons were hot to touch.  Head of the 7 iron came off on its third swing at the range.  They stay in the trunk now.  They go in at spring when the low temperatures are over 50 deg. and in the house when less than 50 deg.  I like good tools and these are my favorites.

Edited May 5, 2018 by tlazzol
Grammar

[Hardspoon]

I don't keep ANYTHING in the trunk of my car.  Car gets cleaned out fully every time it's used!

I am definitely in the camp that feels the heat/cold of a car trunk would definitely not be good for the grips/clubs.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Hardspoon

[Buckeyebowman]

12 hours ago, Typhoon92 said:

Vinny and I living in the northeast shouldn't have issues...lucky to have 10 90 degree days a year. 

I worry more about the cold!

Now Patch on the other hand...you said " upper triple digits"!!!  You live in Hell??  Let me know where exectly...I'll send my wife there, she'll only have to have the electric blanket on " low".

 

I can't be sure, but I'd guess Tucson, AZ! And even they don't get above 150! They will hit 119 on occasion.

I'd be more concerned about theft than the glue softening. Think about what a club fitter has to do to remove a shaft. He has to heat the hosel of the club with a propane torch. If the inside of your trunk gets as hot as a propane torch, you have reason to worry.

[jamo]

I keep mine in my trunk during the season, and take them out for the winter. Never had any issues with the grips coming off or wearing out. If I ever do I'll probably just change the grips and keep leaving my clubs in the trunk. The convenience beats having to lug them in and out of my apartment.

[Wally Fairway]

I quit leaving them in my car when I lived in Houston and one particularly hot weekend I had a set of grip that turned into a gooey mess. Then when I moved back to Michigan, and I had kids, I started keeping them in the trunk again. Because the weather is never "that" hot, and so that my kids didn't borrow a club or two and forget to put them back in the bag when I did keep them in the garage.

I think when I retire they will move inside, because why not.