Planning on playing a round (or two) when you go away on holidays and want to take your own golf clubs with you? You might be wondering about the wisdom of doing so, because statistics show that you’re much more likely to break or damage your golf clubs when travelling than you are when using them.
Never fear though, because with some planning, preparation and know-how it’s entirely possible to bring your golf clubs with you without experiencing a major disaster.
Prepare
Packing and preparing your clubs and gear properly is the key to safe transit, so do a bit of work beforehand to ensure your clubs are protected. There’s a lot of extra space in your golf bag, which allows your golf clubs to be moved and jostled around – not what you want at all when travelling. To prevent movement or unnecessary damage, use towels, extra clothes, extra headcovers or even bubble wrap as padding around and between your clubs. In fact, your golf bag is a great place to transport dirty clothes from your trip – just pack them in between and around your clubs and you’re killing two birds with one stone!
Also, it super important to make sure your clubs are completely dry before you pack them. Trapped moisture can cause your grips to degrade and can weaken the connection between the shaft and the clubhead. Moisture can also cause the shafts to rust from the inside out, weaken and eventually break. So, make sure you check your gear thoroughly before packing it, particularly if you’ve played a damp round of golf, and dry everything out first.
And perhaps most importantly – choose a durable and hardy travel bag to pack your clubs in. Don’t be tempted to just use your normal bag – choose one with special features and plenty of padding that make it much safer for your clubs to travel. And while you’re packing your bag for the trip, ensure you don’t leave items that could spill or explode – such as sunscreen – in your bag while travelling.
When flying
It’s very frustrating to find your golf bag thrown carelessly in a heap with other luggage when flying. To prevent this, pack appropriately as outlined above, and another handy tip is to place your irons in the bag upside down. You can also try removing the club heads to decrease the likelihood of them being snapped off in transit. If you do this, wrap the club head in a towel or headcover and place it carefully in a pocket of your golf bag.
A stiff arm is also a good option. This handy piece of equipment can be placed in your bag like a club, and acts as the tallest point in the bag – making it the first point of contact if your bag is dropped. This protects your golf clubs by absorbing the brunt of the force.
Another handy tip is to avoid connecting flights where possible. This just provides more opportunities for your golf bag to be thrown around and damaged – or even lost. A direct flight is best when travelling with golf clubs. And if you want to avoid losing your clubs on a flight, just throw an Apple AirTag in your golf bag for some serious peace of mind.
For complete peace of mind though, you could even consider shipping your golf clubs on ahead, with a company which guarantees their safe arrival (such as FedEx), and avoid flying your clubs entirely.
Bonus tip: golf balls are one of the heaviest items in your bag, so to avoid excess baggage fees, leave most of your balls at home and pick up some new ones at your destination.
When driving
Driving might be a lot easier on clubs than flying, but clubs can be susceptible to damage from being jostled or bumped on rough or steep roads, or sudden stops on the road. Add plenty of padding around and between your club heads to protect them as much as possible.
After you arrive
Before you start to play a round, check each club in the bag for damage. Start with a visual check, where you look for signs of damage (such as cracks, dents, cuts, abrasions etc.) on each shaft and each clubhead. Then do a quick physical check, where you lightly twist and shake the club to check for loose parts. Lastly, perform a hearing check, where you tap the club on the ground (do this from both ends of the club) and listen for odd sounds or vibrations, which can also be signs of possible damage or loose parts.
If you do suspect some club damage has occurred, don’t use the club and get it checked and repaired if necessary, by a professional.
One thing to keep in mind though, is that no matter how carefully you prepare and pack your golf gear, sometimes things will happen that’s beyond your control. There’s no completely foolproof plan for keeping your golf clubs safe when travelling, but these tips will go a long way towards evening the odds.
Is buying expensive golf clubs worth the cost? Find out here.
