Dear Golfer,

We hope you’re fine and ready for some more golfing insights!

Today we’ll cover one of the hottest topics when it comes to golf travels: how to travel with your golf bag.

We’ve all been there: missing or unclear information, misunderstandings with the airlines, stress and perhaps even damaged clubs.

Here are our top recommendations for your golf trips and how to fly with golf bag:

 

How to Fly with Golf Bag:

It might seem funny - or even trivial - to mention that the first important thing when it comes to traveling with your golf bag is its protection.

As of today, many people still try to onboard their golf bags without a protection, resulting in their golf clubs being damaged or the airlines refusing to carry them. Either way, nothing good for a golfing trip.

Assuming the airline doesn’t care about the golf bag and allows you to leave, the next worst outcome is that your clubs can get severely damaged during the flight.

Warning: the following picture is not recommended for sensitive golf lovers.

 

 

Can You Take a Single Golf Club on a Plane?

When planning to travel with golf equipment, a common question often arises: "Can you bring a single golf club on a plane?" The straightforward answer is no, at least not in your carry-on luggage. Both airlines and security agencies classify golf clubs as potential weapons. Consequently, they cannot be brought into the cabin of a plane.

What You Need to Do:

• Check-In Your Golf Club: Your golf club must be checked in with your other luggage. Since it’s essential to ensure their safe transport, you should properly secure your golf club in a sturdy golf bag.
• Protection Tips: Use a padded bag or wrap the club head in bubble wrap or a similar protective material to prevent damage during handling and transit.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your golf equipment arrives safely at your destination.

 

How much does a full set of golf clubs and bag weigh?

When you're packing up for a day on the fairway, the weight of your golf clubs and bag is a key consideration. On average, a complete set of golf clubs coupled with a standard golf bag typically weighs around 20 pounds. However, this number can fluctuate based on the type of bag you choose and the specific clubs you include.

Lightweight bags and fewer clubs will bring the total weight down, ideal for those who prefer a lighter load. Conversely, larger, more feature-rich bags can increase weight, especially if you pack additional items like extra balls, tees, and a pair of golf shoes. Always consider these factors when preparing for travel, especially air travel, where weight limits may apply. Using your golf bag’s extra compartments efficiently allows you to consolidate your gear, making transportation and management easier.

 

Insurance for Golfers and Golf Trips

Insurance, especially for golfers, is one essential protection that allows us to travel and play without any type of concern for our golf set and our finances.

Some standard home or travel insurances may cover your golfing equipment to some extent, however a golf insurance generally covers:

• Lost, stolen or damaged golf set

• Club subscription

• Tournament fees

• Hole in 1 bar bill

• Green fees

Furthermore, golf insurances usually cover:

• Public liability

• Personal accidents

Our best recommendation for any golfer is to choose the best-fitting golf insurance and to forget about the usual concerns regarding one’s golf set and golf trip.

Depending on your location and on different factors, you might want to check the following golf insurances:

SportsCover Direct

GolfCare

 

Tips for Traveling with Golf Clubs:

Until very recently, it was possible to book extra checked luggage and then use the booking for a golf bag without any extra fee or any issue.

Nowadays, that is not always possible. Should you accidentally pay for checked luggage, it's not granted that you'll be allowed to check-in the golf bag instead and you might end up losing money.

That's why we've written these tips for traveling with golf clubs! In fact, the best way to secure a place for your golf bag, is indeed to select the extra add-on golf bag or sports bag, which you can add after the flight selection (as per the additional pieces of luggage).

Simply make sure you’re selecting the appropriate piece of sporting equipment and don’t go for the regular checked luggage as we were all used to.

Keep in mind that the prices can always vary and that the correct price is shown on the relevant airline website.

That said, below is a curated list of airline golf bag prices as of September 2023:

 

Airlines Golf Bag Fares

 

Best Golf Travel Cover & Bags

Can you imagine leaving for a well-deserved golfing trip and not being able to play because of some inconvenience caused by the airline?

Let’s avoid it and protect our golf clubs with the best covers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above images contain affiliate links.

 

Taking Golf Clubs on a Plane: FAQ

1. What specific type of travel bag is recommended to avoid damage to golf clubs during travel?

It is recommended to use a hard case for transporting golf clubs as this provides the best protection against damage.

2. Are there potential additional costs associated with transporting golf clubs?

Yes, additional costs may apply if the golf clubs exceed the airline's allowed weight limit for luggage. On the attached airline golf bag fares, you will see that the vast majority includes them in the checked luggage allowance and will only charge you past said allowance. Always double check with your travel agents or through the company's policies to be sure you won't face unexpected charges!

3. Are golf clubs considered oversized luggage?

Whether golf clubs are considered oversized luggage varies by airline, so it's important to check each airline's policy. It's quite safe to say that most airlines are now familiar with golf bags and treat them as checked luggage or medium sized sports gear, which makes it easier to travel with them compared to other types of oversized items.

 

Is It Safe to Fly with Your Golf Clubs?

We’ve seen that bringing your golf bag on a plane can be tricky sometimes, and that not all the costs are clearly stated.

Generally speaking, is it safe to fly with your golf clubs?

Despite our efforts to help you with all the rates and procedures and to illustrate how to fly with golf bag, you might find it more convenient to ship your golf bag to the destination and avoid the struggles and the risk of in flight transportation.

That, we’ll cover in the next related article.

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