Taking Clubs Abroad

I'm going to Portugal in February with some of the people on this site.

Never taken my clubs abroad so I'm after some information on the best way to take them.

Looking at one of the hard travel cases, etc.

Anybody taken their clubs on a plane have any advice?

Russ

The hard travel cases look great (never used them) but think they are quite pricey.

Im off to Florida next Friday (wooooooooooooo!!) and just bought a travel bag off ebay.

As long as its got wheels, handles and can lock you should be fine.

What i did last year when we took clubs was to wrap beach towel (or something similar round the heads of woods etc think i used some bubble wrap as well. As long as its padded you should be fine :-)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/%22PGA-Tour%22-Golf-Travel-Bag-with-Wheels-B%2fNew-%26-Boxed-_W0QQitemZ150490491421QQcmdZViewIt
em?rvr_id=146845931387&rvr_id=146845931387&cguid=d61a3c901240a0aad303c2f3fec0a323

This is link to one i bought - had it out box and looks fine :-)

Russ, done Portugal quite a few times with clubs. Have never bothered with the hard case, just a half decent travel bag will do. They are quite a compact fit and just for added safety buy yourself a set of iron covers to stop all the bashing about. You and your clubs will be fine.

Yeah the issue is always going to be the Driver. Dunno if it would be better having that outside the main golf bag?? Padded up on its own, but at least the actual club head wouldn't be as exposed??

Just pad it up and you are good to go. :-)

If you are going to be going abroad fairly regularly, and are not hampered by baggage allowances, then get hard case.

Not sure on baggage allowances though - i remember when snowboard bags used to be carried for free and we would load bag up with all our other gear too, now your snowboard bag gets weighed and you get spanish inquisition if they think you have put a pair of socks in with it!!!!

Not had a problem (yet, touch wood) taking my clubs on a flight.  Can't be doing with a hard case and don't wrap the heads as they've all got covers on them anyway.  However, my bag has got a 14 way divider and I do wedge the woods in with bubble wrap to keep them spaced apart.  And yes, travelling on a scheduled flight does give you a bit more flexibility than Dan dare or Sleazy jet.

PS  Top tip.  Don't use the poxy little padlock that's usually supplied with bags, lock the zips together with a couple of nylon cable ties.  It's enough to stop casual thieves and can be removed easily with a pair of scissors without wrecking the bag.  However, if you insist on using the naff little padlock and loose the key, came and see me, if usually got a small tool kit to get them open...

How times have changed, I just used to put the hood on the carry bag, lock it and this went in to the hold. Lost count of the number of times I have flown into Faro or Malaga and never had a problem.

Now it seems that everything has to be secured in another box to protect something that can take a lot of misuse.

Tim,

I'm sure most airlines have a skelenton key to most padlocks anyway just in case they need to 'check' what is in your bag/case.

I like the idea of a cable tie, I'll use that in a few weeks when I go to La Manga

I use the Mizuno Golf bag, it's not a hard case but it's very compact & it's got a protective sleeve inside which holds the bag nice & snug.

Ping do a terrific travel case it's not cheap but it will do the best job of keeping your clubs safe, it also folds up to store afterwards. I have been to portugal twice with my clubs and you can fit loads in it.

Thanks Matt, I'll have a look at one of them.

Russ

@ Jonny P,

We've got a round on all 3 courses mate. We normally book our rounds at different courses but this year thought we'd give La Manga a try.

Any good bars or restaurants you recommend on site?

Santo,

Well I could hardly start up a new thread to reply to Jonny P now could I

& besides it's still regarding golf abroad so it's not completely off topic.

Russ,

just brought a masters  travel bag at the local jjb it has wheels,shoulder strap,padded top and weighs under 2kg, as weight is going to be premium.

Cheers Gary, I'll have to look at that one as the Portugal trip is getting closer.

Russ

Russell,

My new travel case has now been to Florida and back - no probs at all, and now folded up ready for storage :-)

PGA tour bag, highly recommended