Checking in golf clubs

[Tonz72]

Howdy all,

Just wondering if anyone has had any problems with checking in golf clubs? Any bent drivers at the other end? Just wondering if it's worth taking my good ones on a trip or just hire some at the other end.
Thanks for any insight.

 

[Quickstatus]

if anyone has had any problems with checking in golf clubs

Going by the way baggage is generally handled, it would be naive to say problems / damage wont happen....
Im sure lots of people have checked in sporting equipment including golf clubs without issues just like most checked luggage
Basically checkin at your own risk which is not zero. It really depends on your level of risk acceptance.

Pedestrians get run over by cars on the road. But people still cross the road while looking at their phones......

That said Ive never had issues with snow skis, though i suspect they are sturdier than golf clubs.

 

[FrustratedQP]

My wife and I have travelled many times with golf clubs and never had a problem. We wrap our golf clothes, socks etc. around them to help protect them.

 

[Scarlett]

Howdy all,

Just wondering if anyone has had any problems with checking in golf clubs? Any bent drivers at the other end? Just wondering if it's worth taking my good ones on a trip or just hire some at the other end.
Thanks for any insight.

I’ve played golf in 75 countries, so fair to say my sticks have travelled by air a few times. Thus far all I’ve had go wrong (touch wood) is had my golf shoes nicked out of a side pocket departing from Johannesburg. (which Qantas reimbursed me $150 for when I reported it on arrival at SYD )

I use a fairly tough canvas-style outer bag over my normal golf bag because it only weighs 1Kg, as opposed to the hard shell cases which can weigh a few Kgs.

What you really need to weigh up is the cost of taking the clubs if you have to pay for excess baggage, versus the cost of hiring them whilst away. If with QF, gold status helps as you get a free extra bag.

Where are you travelling to play?

 

[JohnK]

I've only taken golf clubs to Thailand but have also taken them all over Australia.

With my luck I've had quite a few issues over the years

- Damaged golf travel cover x 2
- Damaged golf stand bag x 2
- Snapped R11 driver (this hurt the most as I miss the R11. The M1 is awful)
- Damaged ball retrievers x 2

I've claimed for the golf travel covers and golf bag + R11 but unfortunately it's not easy to replace a favourite driver. With golf clubs they reimburse using depreciation.

I would not play golf in Thailand without my own golf clubs. Hire clubs are not that good and the choice for left hander is not that great either.

Plan is to buy golf set and leave in house in SanPaTong but still need golf clubs in Pattaya and everywhere else I play golf.

 

[Tonz72]

I’ve played golf in 75 countries, so fair to say my sticks have travelled by air a few times. Thus far all I’ve had go wrong (touch wood) is had my golf shoes nicked out of a side pocket departing from Johannesburg. (which Qantas reimbursed me $150 for when I reported it on arrival at SYD )

I use a fairly tough canvas-style outer bag over my normal golf bag because it only weighs 1Kg, as opposed to the hard shell cases which can weigh a few Kgs.

What you really need to weigh up is the cost of taking the clubs if you have to pay for excess baggage, versus the cost of hiring them whilst away. If with QF, gold status helps as you get a free extra bag.

Where are you travelling to play?

Just off to Bundaberg but planning on playing 3 or 4 times so I thought it would be worthwhile to have my own gear. Thanks for the feedback!

Post automatically merged: Jun 20, 2023

I've only taken golf clubs to Thailand but have also taken them all over Australia.

With my luck I've had quite a few issues over the years

- Damaged golf travel cover x 2
- Damaged golf stand bag x 2
- Snapped R11 driver (this hurt the most as I miss the R11. The M1 is awful)
- Damaged ball retrievers x 2

I've claimed for the golf travel covers and golf bag + R11 but unfortunately it's not easy to replace a favourite driver. With golf clubs they reimburse using depreciation.

I would not play golf in Thailand without my own golf clubs. Hire clubs are not that good and the choice for left hander is not that great either.

Plan is to buy golf set and leave in house in SanPaTong but still need golf clubs in Pattaya and everywhere else I play golf.

Yeah I'm a left hander too - there isn't usually much to choose from when hiring sets

 

[Scarlett]

Us lefties! Underrepresented on the course and on tour but plenty here.

Once, playing a friendly away game, four of us pitched up to the same tee for a shotgun start not knowing the others in the group. Turns out the whole foursome were lefties. Never seen it before or after!

 

[Mr H]

I've claimed for the golf travel covers and golf bag + R11 but unfortunately it's not easy to replace a favourite driver. With golf clubs they reimburse using depreciation.

Really? I don't play golf at all but I would have assumed the golf bats lasted indefinitely and so would not depreciate.

 

[jpp42]

Really? I don't play golf at all but I would have assumed the golf bats lasted indefinitely and so would not depreciate.

I'm trying to figure out if that's supposed to be "golf bags" and a typo, or a joke referring to the clubs as bats

Everything has a depreciation schedule... I've read the comment, "An item that is still in use and functional for its intended purpose should not be depreciated beyond 90%" - so yes it can't depreciate to 100% if you can still use it, but 90% seems reasonable if old and no collectible value.

 

[Quickstatus]

so would not depreciate

a well used golf club will not have the same value as a new one on the resale market so there must be at least some depreciation.

 

[JohnK]

Really? I don't play golf at all but I would have assumed the golf bats lasted indefinitely and so would not depreciate.

Golf clubs? No they do not last indefintely. The heads wear and the shafts need to be replaced every 5-10 years or so depending on use.

Callaway R11 driver was quite a few years old when the head snapped off. New price from memory was $350 and I got back $175. I think can buy another shaft on eBay for around $50-$100 but you'd need a golf pro to fit the shaft.

 

[FrustratedQP]

Golf clubs? No they do not last indefintely. The heads wear and the shafts need to be replaced every 5-10 years or so depending on use.

Callaway R11 driver was quite a few years old when the head snapped off. New price from memory was $350 and I got back $175. I think can buy another shaft on eBay for around $50-$100 but you'd need a golf pro to fit the shaft.

Definitely don’t need a golf pro to fit the shaft. It’s only a bolt that requires a pretensioned wrench tool that came with the new driver when you bought it.

 

[JohnK]

Us lefties! Underrepresented on the course and on tour but plenty here.

Once, playing a friendly away game, four of us pitched up to the same tee for a shotgun start not knowing the others in the group. Turns out the whole foursome were lefties. Never seen it before or after!

A number of years ago we had a few old(er) lefties playing golf in social club. One day I scheduled all 4 of us in same group.

I'm not sure if this happens to any other left hander but I struggled that day. I've been used to playing with right handers all my life and it felt strange looking at left handers all game.

 

[Gremlin]

I used to travel a bit with clubs before a serious shoulder injury put paid to my golfing game (or what passed for a 'game' when I strode onto the course!).

I can highly recommend acquiring a good quality golf travel bag. Wrap your heads and shafts in towels as well. Not always foolproof - I had a broken driver shaft once but definitely made a difference.

One thing to think about is transport though. I could fit my clubs and bag easily into a car. But the travel bag over the top meant either putting back seats down or finding a large station wagon.

 

[TomVexille]

Buy a $6.45 20l Bunnings pail to protect your clubs a la the Home Depot bucket that has been posted online.

I've also heard that unscrewing driver heads and putting them in your carry-on can help.

 

[Quickstatus]

Question is where do golf clubs go in the hold?

Also what about a Hard Case?

 

[jpp42]

Question is where do golf clubs go in the hold?

If it's a 737 (or smaller), manually loaded, you can be assured they will be thrown anywhere they'll fit. Which for something large is likely on the bottom, with everyone else's luggage stacked on top.

 

[Aggi]

I’ve taken my golf clubs to Fiji and New Zealand recently without any problems. Highly recommend getting the Eagles & Birdies weekender travel bag for $199. It’s light and relatively compact with wheels so easy to carry around.

Post automatically merged: Jun 23, 2023

And put an Apple Airtag in your golf bag to track it!

 

[serfty]

And put an Apple Airtag in your golf bag to track it!

I might have been considering putting something like an Airtag on my golf ball ...

 

[Gazza129]

Howdy all,

Just wondering if anyone has had any problems with checking in golf clubs? Any bent drivers at the other end? Just wondering if it's worth taking my good ones on a trip or just hire some at the other end.
Thanks for any insight.

No issues with clubs but did have a box of new balls go "missing" on a flight to MCY 15 years ago. Don't put valuables in the bag pockets.