Many golfers enjoy trying new golf courses throughout the United States and around the world. Golf clubs can be damaged during air or train travel, however, without some special care. It's no fun to find a damaged club in your bag when playing a new golf course, and replacements for some sets can be very expensive. Some simple precautions can prevent these problems.
Step 1
Pare down your golf club set and take only the clubs you know you will really need. Many golfers amass a large collection of clubs. You can often make do with a basic selection rather than hauling a full set to faraway courses. This eliminates the chance of damaging clubs you leave at home, and it is easier to handle a smaller set on the road.
Step 2
Purchase a special golf club travel bag if you don't already own one. On the Golf Link website, Julie Moran explains there are two different types of travel bags. Hard bags offer the most protection, but are also the most expensive option, Moran notes --- some costing several hundred dollars as of 2010. Soft bags typically cost between $75 and $100, but provide less protection.
Step 3
Cover your golf clubs with the head cover if your golf bag has one. Moran advises wrapping the club heads with protective material if your bag doesn't have a built-in cover.
Step 4
Place your entire golf bag into the travel case. Moran warns against putting loose clubs into the case. Leave them in your regular golf bag, because this gives an additional layer of protection.
Step 5
Purchase a special insurance policy for golf-related travel. Peter Greenberg, a travel editor for MSN, explains that such policies cover loss of or damage to your equipment. There might be other coverage for trip delays and cancellation, depending on the specific policy.
Tips and Warnings
- Your travel bag will often have extra room once you have placed your clubs inside. Moran recommends using this space to pack other items like clothing and shoes, to free up more room in your luggage. Don't put items in your travel case that could potentially leak or damage your golf bag or clubs.
- You can never fully avoid the possibility of damaging your golf clubs during travel. If you have a particularly expensive set, you might want to leave them at home. Purchase less expensive clubs exclusively for travel, or rent a set at your destination.
Things You'll Need
- Hard or soft travel case
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