Ship Sticks, Golf Bag Shipping Company

I am traveling from Florida to Bandon for a golf trip (which is impossible to get to) and don't want to travel with my golf clubs. A friend told me about a company called Ship Sticks. Apparently they are solely dedicated to shipping people's golf clubs right from your front door to the course, with excellent customer service and guaranteed on-time shipments. UPS is so expensive and so is Fedex, and I really don't want to check my clubs at the airport, since last time my bag was subjected to a random security check and my footjoys were stolen.

Before I use them, what are your thoughts? Has anyone ever used Ship Sticks? Thanks for the feedback!

From what I have heard the service works well.

You are looking at minimum $130 to ship them (5 day ground service), what would the bag fees add up to from the airline you are using?

Myself. I would just take them on the plane, I have flown over 100 times with my clubs with no issues. But I dounderstand your hesitance to check them as you have had a previous issue.

Out of all the things to steal from a golf bag, why take shoes?!?

Excellent!! Bar none! only way I travel now!

You can ship directly to Bandon and the course takes excellent care and they are ready at the shack when you arrive.

First timers get a discount.

I have used them a handful of times and they are great, most of the time the price is about a wash and I wouldn't care if it was extra. the only time I don't use them is during the golf season at home I don't want to be with out my clubs for a couple of days after I get home. during the winter it is a no brainer.

From what I have heard the service works well.

 

You are looking at minimum $130 to ship them (5 day ground service), what would the bag fees add up to from the airline you are using?

 

Myself. I would just take them on the plane, I have flown over 100 times with my clubs with no issues. But I dounderstand your hesitance to check them as you have had a previous issue.

 

Out of all the things to steal from a golf bag, why take shoes?!?

Thanks for the tip! So here's an update: I just called Ship Sticks and they said the cost would be close to your estimated amount ($130) for a ROUNDTRIP shipment. ($59.99 to Bandon going one-way). Apparently all I need to do is print a shipping label at home, leave my bag outside, and UPS/Fedex will pick it up and send it to bandon, where pro shop will have it before I arrive.

Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES! https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/oversize-overweight.jsp

I am going to give Ship Sticks a try!

Highly recommend these guys. Flew a regional cut rate airline that was going to charge $100 a bag one way. And Ship Sticks was $100 round-trip.

Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES! https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/oversize-overweight.jsp

Over 50 lbs? What do you have in there?

I fly with my clubs all the time - used to do it twice a week every week for a year and still do it a dozen or so times every season. My bag weighs 41-43 lbs every time and that includes the hardshell case, shoes, dopp kit (I check my liquids in the golf bag to make it a little easier to get through security), balls, jackets, towels, old water bottles, and so on. I've never paid more than $25 one-way.

Use Ship Sticks if it makes you feel better or if you'd rather not have to move them through the airport, but don't do it because you're misinformed. There's absolutely no reason it should cost $400 to check clubs on a domestic flight in the US.

Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES! https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/oversize-overweight.jsp

 

Over 50 lbs? What do you have in there?

 

I fly with my clubs all the time - used to do it twice a week every week for a year and still do it a dozen or so times every season. My bag weighs 41-43 lbs every time and that includes the hardshell case, shoes, dopp kit (I check my liquids in the golf bag to make it a little easier to get through security), balls, jackets, towels, old water bottles, and so on. I've never paid more than $25 one-way.

 

Use Ship Sticks if it makes you feel better or if you'd rather not have to move them through the airport, but don't do it because you're misinformed. There's absolutely no reason it should cost $400 to check clubs on a domestic flight in the US.

Did you see the link I attached?

25 first bag, 35 second bag on American

My golf bag never is more than 45 lbs.

25 first bag, 35 second bag on American

 

My golf bag never is more than 45 lbs.

Have you ever used Ship Sticks?

25 first bag, 35 second bag on American

 

My golf bag never is more than 45 lbs.

Have you ever used Ship Sticks?

I haven't, I'm in Canada so it just doesn't make financial sense to do so. But I have heard the service works very well. In your case I think it is worth a try, the price is reasonable and you've had issues with airlines in the past. Me and the other guy were just pointing out there is no way you will pay baggage fees that high.

Was curious about this and went to AA.com to figure out their rules.

http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/specialty-sports.jsp

Allowance and requirements

You can travel with 1 golf bag with up to:

• 
  14 golf clubs
  
• 
  12 golf balls
  
• 
  1 pair of golf shoes
  

Please note that you cannot travel with swingless golf club load strips.

Cost

You’ll be charged the same fee as the 1st or 2nd baggage fee of your destination. If you have excess baggage, you’ll be charged the excess fee for each item you travel with.

If you are traveling to, through or from Brazil, you’ll be charged $42.50 for your golf equipment.

If the golf bag contains anything other than the approved items then additional oversize and overweight charges will apply. You may be asked to open your bag at the airport.

Maximum weight and size

50 lbs.

From Southwest.com

https://www.southwes...uggage_faq.html

Any of the items listed below may be checked in substitution of one piece of the free Checked Baggage allowance for each Passenger at no charge on a one-item-for-one-bag basis. If the item of sporting equipment exceeds 50 pounds in weight or 62 inches in size (outside length plus height plus width), excess weight and size charges may apply.

• Golf bag in hard-sided golf bag carrying case provided by Passenger, including clubs, balls, and shoes. Hooded golf bags or golf bags in a soft-sided carrying case provided by the Passenger will be conditionally accepted.
  

Note: Overweight charges will apply to golf bags exceeding 50 pounds.

United - Sorry for the bulk posts, but I thought this was an interesting topic because I always thought it was really expensive and nearly impossible to ship golf clubs too.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/sports.aspx

United accepts one item of golf equipment per customer as checked baggage.

An item of golf equipment consists of:

• One golf bag containing 1 set of golf clubs
  
• Golf balls
  
• One pair of golf shoes
  

All items must be properly encased in a suitable container. The golf bag must be covered or enclosed in a heavy, rigid carrying case.

United is not liable for damage to golf equipment that is not contained in a hard-sided case.

Excess Valuation may not be purchased for golf equipment that is not contained in a hard-sided case.

First or second checked bag service charges may apply.

Golfing equipment containers measuring over 62 (158 cm) total linear inches (L + H + W) that contain other items in addition to or in place of appropriate golf equipment will be subject to an oversize checked baggage service charge.

Note: All customers, including MileagePlus® Premier® members, who check a golf bag will experience a delay in receiving their bag at the baggage claim due to the manner in which oversized items and sports equipment are required to be loaded, unloaded and delivered to baggage claim.

A group of 16 of us used ship sticks from KS to Bandon last year and they were great. 28 going this year. Only nad part was being without clubs 7 days before and 5 days after.

I can assure you, as someone that commonly flies 100,000/miles per year + with his clubs that there is no scenario where a normal golf bag is going to cost you anywhere close to $400. I can't believe anyone is willing to pay to have their clubs shipped if it costs even $1 more than flying. I'll be taking clubs to China next Friday and just got back from Bermuda with my clubs. That's probably at least 1,000 incident free flights. I could just be extraordinarily lucky but it doesn't feel like that is true.

From what I have heard the service works well.

 

You are looking at minimum $130 to ship them (5 day ground service), what would the bag fees add up to from the airline you are using?

 

Myself. I would just take them on the plane, I have flown over 100 times with my clubs with no issues. But I dounderstand your hesitance to check them as you have had a previous issue.

 

Out of all the things to steal from a golf bag, why take shoes?!?

 

Thanks for the tip! So here's an update: I just called Ship Sticks and they said the cost would be close to your estimated amount ($130) for a ROUNDTRIP shipment. ($59.99 to Bandon going one-way). Apparently all I need to do is print a shipping label at home, leave my bag outside, and UPS/Fedex will pick it up and send it to bandon, where pro shop will have it before I arrive.

 

Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES! https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/oversize-overweight.jsp

 

I am going to give Ship Sticks a try!

Thanks for introducing yourself.

Yes, you give SS a try and make sure:

1. your first post on this forum is about SS

2. state you fly with your clubs on golf trips but then are astounded as to how much more money it would cost to ship via American Airlines should the bag be over 50lbs (got your 10lb barbells in there?)

3. provide the step by step procedure on how 'easy' it is, yet not sharing that one is without their clubs for close to a week before and after the trip

While I have never used SS before, I will say that FREE on Southwest beats $130 and the inconvenience of not having my gamers before and after. And I will choose that option 10 out of 10 times.

Thanks for the infomercial/PSA. Call me skeptical, but you may want to think about becoming a WRX sponsor.

From what I have heard the service works well.

 

You are looking at minimum $130 to ship them (5 day ground service), what would the bag fees add up to from the airline you are using?

 

Myself. I would just take them on the plane, I have flown over 100 times with my clubs with no issues. But I dounderstand your hesitance to check them as you have had a previous issue.

 

Out of all the things to steal from a golf bag, why take shoes?!?

 

Thanks for the tip! So here's an update: I just called Ship Sticks and they said the cost would be close to your estimated amount ($130) for a ROUNDTRIP shipment. ($59.99 to Bandon going one-way). Apparently all I need to do is print a shipping label at home, leave my bag outside, and UPS/Fedex will pick it up and send it to bandon, where pro shop will have it before I arrive.

 

Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES! https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/oversize-overweight.jsp

 

I am going to give Ship Sticks a try!

 

Thanks for introducing yourself.

 

Yes, you give SS a try and make sure:

 

1. your first post on this forum is about SS

2. state you fly with your clubs on golf trips but then are astounded as to how much more money it would cost to ship via American Airlines should the bag be over 50lbs (got your 10lb barbells in there?)

3. provide the step by step procedure on how 'easy' it is, yet not sharing that one is without their clubs for close to a week before and after the trip

 

While I have never used SS before, I will say that FREE on Southwest beats $130 and the inconvenience of not having my gamers before and after. And I will choose that option 10 out of 10 times.

 

Thanks for the infomercial/PSA. Call me skeptical, but you may want to think about becoming a WRX sponsor.

nailed it. was thinking this was a spam post too.

Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES! https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/oversize-overweight.jsp

 

Over 50 lbs? What do you have in there?

 

I fly with my clubs all the time - used to do it twice a week every week for a year and still do it a dozen or so times every season. My bag weighs 41-43 lbs every time and that includes the hardshell case, shoes, dopp kit (I check my liquids in the golf bag to make it a little easier to get through security), balls, jackets, towels, old water bottles, and so on. I've never paid more than $25 one-way.

 

Use Ship Sticks if it makes you feel better or if you'd rather not have to move them through the airport, but don't do it because you're misinformed. There's absolutely no reason it should cost $400 to check clubs on a domestic flight in the US.

Did you see the link I attached?

Directly from the link:

Allowance and requirements

You can travel with 1 golf bag with up to:

• 
  14 golf clubs
  
• 
  12 golf balls
  
• 
  1 pair of golf shoes
  

Please note that you cannot travel with swingless golf club load strips.

Cost

You’ll be charged the same fee as the 1st or 2nd baggage fee of your destination. If you have excess baggage, you’ll be charged the excess fee for each item you travel with.

If you are traveling to, through or from Brazil, you’ll be charged $42.50 for your golf equipment.

If the golf bag contains anything other than the approved items then additional oversize and overweight charges will apply. You may be asked to open your bag at the airport.

Maximum weight and size

50 lbs.

I've only flown 1 time in my life without golf clubs. Never paid an overage or anything. Never even paid for the clubs as typically you can check 1 bag for nothing. Just make sure you're not carrying enough balls for an army, and that you don't have a lot of liquids in the bag and you should always be under 50 lbs.

But as others have said, might be cheaper to be a forum sponsor...

I've thought about using these services before. Cost difference between taking with you on an airline might be negligible when considering convenience of not having to haul them around the airport and such.

The only thing that has stopped me is practice. If I'm going on a big golf trip, I want to be able to practice in the five days before I leave and not be without my clubs.

Just got a quote from cali to Maui and its going to cost $300 round trip per bag. ughhh....

> @kekoa said:

> Just got a quote from cali to Maui and its going to cost $300 round trip per bag. ughhh....

I'm going San Diego to the big island. $30 each way on the plane.

How ship sticks is still in business is beyond me.

I’ve flown with my clubs a few times on different airlines and it can be hit or miss depending on the agent or how you check your luggage. On United, they are usually just a checked bag (same cost). I never list them as checked baggage online. I do it at the airport, because online, they will charge you extra. Once I had an agent try to charge me $200 on Delta, I asked for a supervisor and was charged $125, still too much, IMO. If I don’t want to lug them with me, I ship UPS. If you get a good store owner, it will be about $35 each way. I also saw another website, Lugless, that handles all types of luggage, even door to door for under $35 each way. I may try them next time I don’t want to take them on the plane. You have to drop off at FedEx but they ship to the course or hotel.

Ship Sticks is not for those looking to save money. Its the convenience thing. I shipped by Ship Sticks from my front door in Lakeland, FL to my sons front door in Las Vegas for $125 round trip. No lugging around the airport, taking them in and out of the car, etc. Just put them in a box or club luggage and put them at the door. They do the rest. They even ship direct to a golf course. Its a convenience service not a money saving service. They have a few options available depending on your chosen shipping time frame. I used the 7-10 days. The faster you want them there the more expensive it is.

> @WhatWhatInthePutt said:

> Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES!

50 lbs ??????? What do you have in the bag? 30 clubs? 5 dozen balls?

BTW, Shipsticks also charges extra for heavy golf bags.

> @"Hack Daddy" said:

> I'm going San Diego to the big island. $30 each way on the plane.

>

> How ship sticks is still in business is beyond me.

Because they provide a good service that many of us need. I use them when I have a non-golf travel extension after my golf trip and don't want to haul clubs all over the country. They meet a need.

> @596 said:

> Ship Sticks is not for those looking to save money. Its the convenience thing. I shipped by Ship Sticks from my front door in Lakeland, FL to my sons front door in Las Vegas for $125 round trip. No lugging around the airport, taking them in and out of the car, etc. Just put them in a box or club luggage and put them at the door. They do the rest. They even ship direct to a golf course. Its a convenience service not a money saving service. They have a few options available depending on your chosen shipping time frame. I used the 7-10 days. The faster you want them there the more expensive it is.

Who lugs clubs around an airport?

Pull from trunk at drop off, check at curb. Pick up from baggage, walk out door to car pick up.

> @kekoa said:

> Just got a quote from cali to Maui and its going to cost $300 round trip per bag.

Several years ago, I looked into using Ship Sticks to Honolulu. It was around $260 each way, if I recall correctly. And that wasn’t even for 2nd day. So $300 r/t doesn’t sound that bad. But I still use checked luggage.

> @Roadking2003 said:

> > @WhatWhatInthePutt said:

> > Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES!

> 50 lbs ??????? What do you have in the bag? 30 clubs? 5 dozen balls?

>

> BTW, Shipsticks also charges extra for heavy golf bags.

My golf bag is almost always at the 50 lb. limit when I come back from vacation. Packed with snorkel gear, laundry, and items accumulated on the trip. But I don’t have nearly as many golf balls weighing me down. :)

>

> @Roadking2003 said:

> > @WhatWhatInthePutt said:

> > Just checked American airlines' fees (domestic travel in Coach) and prices are outrageous- if your bag is over 50lbs, it's going to be $200-$400/rt. YIKES!

> 50 lbs ??????? What do you have in the bag? 30 clubs? 5 dozen balls?

>

> BTW, Shipsticks also charges extra for heavy golf bags.

>

He probably won't be answering anytime soon,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,