Should You Travel Abroad With Your Golf Clubs or Not

Many golfers love to travel abroad for a holiday - playing magnificent, immaculately presented courses in a beautiful climate, which is an experience that is hard to beat.

But there can be anxiety when it comes to planning, especially when choosing to take your own golf clubs with you. Having recently surveyed 1,200 golfers to understand their consumer habits and relationship with the game, it was fascinating to us to see just how keen the majority of them are to travel with their clubs as part of their luggage.

• How Do Golfers Travel Overseas For Golf?
• How to Travel Abroad With Your Golf Clubs
• How to Pack For a Golf Trip
• Is Golf Club Shipping Worth Trying?
• Should You Use a Golf Club Rental Service?
• You Could Rent Golf Clubs at The Destination
• Should I Travel With My Own Golf Clubs or Not?

Let's take a closer look at what golfers think and the respective merits of travelling with your own golf clubs or not.

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How Do Golfers Travel Overseas For Golf?

Golfers choose to travel with their clubs due to the familiarity and comfort of using the equipment that they are used to, but some prefer the convenience of travelling without golf clubs, instead electing to hire clubs on arrival.

Golfers Aged Over 65

• 44% Travel Overseas For Golf
• 64% Will Take Own Clubs, 26% Stated No, 10% Sometimes
• 35% of Those Travelling Have Rented Clubs, 25% Used Club Rental Service, 3% Have Used Shipping Service

Golfers Aged 55-64

• 54% Travel Overseas For Golf
• 71% Will Take Own Clubs, 23% Stated No, 7% Sometimes
• 19% of Those Travelling Have Rented Clubs, 12% Used Club Rental Service

Golfers Aged Under 55

• 47% Travel Overseas For Golf
• 60% Will Take Own Clubs, 27% Stated No, 15% Sometimes
• 40% of Those Travelling Have Rented Clubs, 25% Used Club Rental Service

How to Travel Abroad With Your Golf Clubs

Golfshake's Travel Editor Andy Waple is (naturally) a keen golf traveller and he prefers to take his own clubs rather than hiring a rental set.

Here are some of the key tips that Andy recommends to ensure that taking your clubs abroad is as smooth a process as possible.

• Maximise Comfort With Airport Hotels And Twilight Check-In
• Know Your Bag's Weight For Hassle-Free Travel
• Store Toiletries in Golf Bag to Breeze Through Security
• Use a Rigid Support to Prevent Damage
• Opt For a Distinctive Travel Bag to Avoid Mix-Ups
• Know Where to Collect Your Golf Bags at The Airport
• Travel in Golf Shoes For Style And Practicality
• Keep Duct Tape in Your Bag For Emergency Repairs
• Avoid Taking Golf Balls in Hand Luggage
• Position Your Golf Bag With The Stand Facing Sideways
• Pack Golf Essentials in Different Luggage
• Use Packing Cubes
• Put a Tracker in Your Golf Bag

If you want to know more about these tips and the reasoning behind them, you can read Andy's full article here.

How to Pack For a Golf Trip

Once you've booked a golf break and have your flight in place, the next thing is making sure that you've packed appropriately.

When it comes to both travelling with your golf clubs and other luggage too, here are some great tips that will keep you right.

• Invest in Good Travel Cover
• Consider Your Other Luggage Too
• Remove Adjustable Club Heads if You Can
• Stick Your Socks in Golf Shoes to Save Space
• Add Some Additional Padding if You Can
• Pack Enough Golf Balls For The Trip
• Consider a Half Set - Don't Travel With Unnecessary Clubs
• Think About The Terrain Your Going to Face
• Buy a Padlock & Tracker For Your Bag
• Plan For The Unexpected!

Should you want more information on these tips to make certain that you will be fully prepared for travel and the entirety of your stay, check out this article.

Is Golf Club Shipping Worth Trying?

Despite the tips above, you might fancy putting the journey of your golf clubs into the hands of a shipping service, many of which have destinations throughout Europe and beyond. Taking your clubs through the airport can be hard work, especially when carried alongside your cases, and you also have to deal with waiting times, long lines, and potentially expensive baggage fees.

mybaggage.com is just one example of a shipping service that could be worth trying - especially since it ships to over 200 countries worldwide, covering all the popular destinations for golf. 

Explaining what you can expect, they say: "Your golf clubs will be shipped directly to your accommodation and will be there for when you arrive if you’ve sent them a couple of days before you leave. Lots of our customers arrange it so their golf clubs will arrive just before they do. When that’s the case, your beloved clubs will be stored in your hotel’s luggage room, ready for you to arrive and pick them up."

Ship Sticks is a service of this type that has become hugely popular with golfers travelling abroad from the United States.

The appeal of travelling with your own golf clubs is obvious - and using these kind of services can make that much easier.

Should You Use a Golf Club Rental Service?

It's clear that most golfers want to travel with their own clubs - where possible - but a significant number have used a club rental service, including 25% of golfers over the age of 65 and 25% under the age of 55.

ClubstoHire.com is among the best known services of this nature, giving you the opportunity to rent the latest clubs from just £45 per set per week across popular locations that include Faro, Malaga, Palma, Alicante and Belek.

For example, a set of Callaway Elyte golf clubs, including driver, woods, irons, a bag and a putter of your choice can be booked for a week in Faro from £85 in July 2025.

While it won't be the same as your golf clubs at home, this gives you the chance to select the brand that you prefer, and could even potentially give you the opportunity to have a go at an upgraded, modern set without the pressure attached of travelling with a set of clubs.

You Could Rent Golf Clubs at Your Destination

Rental sets are also generally available at the majority of golf destinations that you could visit - and this is a good option if you only have a round or two to play. Looking at some of the places that have been featured on Golfshake in 2025, the Verdura Resort in Sicily offers rental clubs for €50, while the Algarve's Pestana Vila Sol makes them available from €45.

Should I Travel With My Own Golf Clubs or Not?

Ultimately, if you're travelling with your own golf clubs, there are ways to make that process more straightforward, including through careful planning and smart packing, or even booking a shipping service, while for those who aren't fussed about playing with their own clubs abroad, rental and hire options are available.

There is something for everyone, so have a think about what sounds best before embarking on your next golf holiday.

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