Smart, Safe Golf Travel Tips to Protect Your Most Valuable Assets On-the-Go
Golf is a game meant to be played at courses all over the globe. But it can be a pain in your budget and back whenever you travel with your clubs in tow. You may pay substantial fees to check your sticks and even more for a large rental car to accommodate your clubs. By the time you arrive at your golf destination, you're exhausted and you may have weakened your back and your wallet.
Cut down the stress on your body, bag and budget with our expert travel tips. In this blog, we share simple golf travel tips to protect yourself and your game wherever your journey to play takes you.
1. Use a durable travel bag
A quality soft travel bag or hard case is the best way to protect your clubs during transit. A high-quality bag may cost you a few extra dollars, it’s nothing compared to the cost of club repairs if damaged. Soft travel bags tend to be lighter while the outer shell of hard cases may add more protection. Both types typically come with durable wheels, outer pockets, and a waterproof liner. But it is worth doing your research to find the bag that will work best for you.
2. Remove your club heads
Removing your club heads isn’t an option for all golfers, but many drivers are with made removable club heads. If you can, remove your club heads from their shafts and place them in a pocket of your golf bag. Because the meeting of the club head and shaft are exposed, these are the sections most likely to break in transit. Be sure to mark what setting your driver was in, too, for easy attachment before you tee off.
3. Add additional protection
Your golf clubs may not always be handled with the utmost care by the airlines. Consider using bubble wrap, packing paper, or extra golf towels to absorb extra space in the top of your bag. A stiff arm is another helpful and inexpensive way to protect your clubs. A stiff arm will act as the tallest point in your bag and take the brunt of force of impact.
4. Know your airline’s policies
Baggage policies differ from one airline to the next as far as weight and dimensional restrictions. Research your baggage allowances before arriving at the airport to avoid overweight oversized baggage fees. Avoid carrying your sticks with you by shipping your golf clubs ahead of your arrival for as little as $44.99.
5. Book a non-stop flight
Whether it is a bucket-list item or a buddy’s trip, you’ve undoubtedly spent some significant time planning your golf vacation. So, don’t ruin your trip with a missed connecting flight. Booking a direct flight is the best way to avoid situations like these and streamline the travel process.
6. Stay loose everywhere your golf game takes you
Traveling often requires a lot of sitting. From sitting at your gate to your 2+ hour flight, you will most certainly feel stiff once you land. Give yourself time to complete a flexibility and mobility routine pre and post flight and following a long drive. Our GOLFFOREVER app injury prevention instruction and pre-round warm up routines will serve your body, your game and feel great after a busy travel day. You can access this content and more right from your hotel room, behind the first tee, anywhere you plan to play. The app is based on a personal self-assessment, is doctor developed and prescribed, and is customized daily to accommodate your needs.
7. Ship your golf clubs & luggage ahead
As airlines continue to find new ways to make travel more expensive, Ship Sticks offers an affordable and convenient alternative. When you ship your golf clubs and luggage ahead, you can avoid carrying, checking, and claiming baggage at the airport. Ship Sticks picks up your clubs from anywhere and delivers them to 180 countries worldwide. Enjoy on-time delivery guarantee, access to tracking 24/7, and complimentary insurance for added peace of mind. Orders can be placed online, over the phone, or on the Ship Sticks iOS app. Shipping golf clubs ahead also allows you to reduce touchpoints at the airport, like crowded baggage claims and bag-check lines.
8. Always lift your sticks with care
There are no mulligans when you invest time and funds in a fantastic golf trip or competition and injure yourself while in route. Learn how to lift your golf bag and protect yourself from injury with GOLFFOREVER Founder and Physician, Dr. Jeremy James, and PGA-Tour Campion, Justin Leonard in this quick video.
When you start planning your next golf vacation, follow our recommended tips. Share smart tools including the GOLFFOREVER app and Ship Sticks with your four-some to ensure you all arrive safe and ready to play.
If you enjoyed these tips, there’s more back safety and injury prevention instruction where that came from. Check out these related blogs:
How to Avoid Swing Fatigue on the Back Nine