Who actually uses a stiff arm in their travel bag?

[Argonne69]

Yup.

I was standing near the airport gate one day waiting to board the plane, and I gazed out the window. The baggage handlers were unloading the baggage from the recent arrival. In shock, I saw them dump a soft case golf bag out of the plane's baggage door, and it fell to the tarmac below, landing right on the nose of the case. If the bag didn't have a stiff arm, I'm absolutely certain the driver head would have snapped, as the bag fell a good 8 to 10 feet.

[knockdstiff]

Yes. I also take the heads off my woods/hybrids.

First time I flew with them, the plastic thingy was shattered upon arrival.

No, that doesn't mean it would've broke my club(s). There's a lot of things that could happen to my clubs won't break them, and I prefer if none of them happen. It's a very minimal effort to save you a lot of potential annoyance and expense.

[rcain1us]

I ended up buying one today if for no other reason than to see the look of horror on my wife's face when I came walking into the GAP to meet her on the other side of the mall.

"What is that thing?"

[Joebirds55]

Stiff arm is a no brainer in my opinion.

[manglarn]

maybe i´m overly cautious but I like to put the stiff arm in the bag then wrap a towel around the heads, then to top i all of a plastic bucket goes on top. Has worked great so far.

[Heelgrad]

I don't use a stiff arm anymore as my original one was broken by the airlines so I currently use a wood handle from a garden hoe I cut to be about 2 inches longer than my driver. It fits perfectly in my bag and after wrapping all my clubs in a big towel it will be the first thing to take the brunt of a disgruntled baggage handler. Nothing is going to break it.

[setter02]

[quote name='mukster' timestamp='1424199436' post='10971983']
I don't leave home without it

Use one in my Club Glove Burstproof 2, yet to have damage to my clubs. The airlines will always figure out some devious way to destroy your clubs, but this has worked well for me.
[/quote]

I have the same bag and use one as well. Then wrap the iron heads in my towels. If I can remove the club heads, I do and stuff them into my shoes.

[Pure745]

First time I used the stiff arm, my 913D3 w/ Fuji TS 7.2 snapped at the neck.

[Outthere]

No Stiff Arm and no problems. Clubglove travel bag

[2bGood]

I used a broom handle for a long time, but eventually grabbed a stiff arm. I also take the heads off my driver, hibred and three wood and take them in my carry on for some added protection.

[SwingMan]

Yes to Stiff Arm; Yes to SM Clubglider Journey

[Tone-NY]

I've used one with an Ogio Straight Jacket for over 7 years. Highly recommended, very cheap insurance.

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='2bGood' timestamp='1425747805' post='11096821']
I used a broom handle for a long time, but eventually grabbed a stiff arm. I also take the heads off my driver, hibred and three wood and take them in my carry on for some added protection.
[/quote]

never thought of taking the heads off... I like that!

[Edaw68]

[quote name='Toph84' timestamp='1424124461' post='10966013']
Go to the hardware store and buy a wooden dowel rod for $2 to $4 and have it cut to whatever length you need for your travel bag. Get 1/2" or bigger. Wrap a towel on the end of the dowel if its too short.
[/quote]
I do this. Combine it with a hard top bag boy travel cover, and I'm confident my clubs will survive the flight if I do.

[emansun]

I use one. $20 for peace of mind.

[Joebirds55]

For a cheap laugh ill take a look at the reviews on the stiff arm and see comments like "1 star - first time I used it the thing was bent and basically toast. Clubs were fine though." Hmmm I think that's the point...

Haven't had any issues at all traveling with my burst proof and a stiff arm. Wouldn't travel without the stiff arm.

Added bonus is club glove is made in the USA and is an all around great company from my experience.

[braby33]

I used shipsticks recently, and UPS delivered the bag standing upside down. I'm very thankful I had a strong arm clone in there.

[502 to Right]

The thought of not using one makes me sick. I always use one. And as mentioned upthread, with the advent of adjustable drivers I take the head off my driver, which helps a lot and eliminates the danger of damaging that club.

[ETERNAL06]

Never travel without it. $25 for the extra security is well worth the cost.

[jmvargas]

with almost 90% positive answers on this question most of us believe this is a no-brainer...

[BillyZ2]

[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1427082511' post='11194995']
with almost 90% positive answers on this question most of us believe this is a no-brainer...
[/quote]I have a BagBoy version, and the only complaints I have heard about these device are that under heavy stress, like what would be experienced during a head first fall, that they can collapse. What I did to mine was drill a hole through the shaft and put a cotter pin through the hole for support. It will now withstand anything.

[cliff1675]

couple of old hockey (composite) sticks cut to length work great.

[turftaker]

[quote name='manglarn' timestamp='1425240823' post='11054917']
maybe i´m overly cautious but I like to put the stiff arm in the bag then wrap a towel around the heads, then to top i all of a plastic bucket goes on top. Has worked great so far.
[/quote]

Really like this too. Keeps all the club heads to the confines of the bag.

[a_pop]

I do, figure why not..

[dpb5031]

Actually sat on the plane looking out the window as my clubs were being loaded. They were on a conveyor that was bringing luggage up from ground-level to the plane's cargo hull. The conveyor must have gotten jammed at the top and my clubs fell off of the conveyor, landed on end, then bounced around in the hard shelled case I was glad to be using at the time.

Since then I've gotten away from the hard shell cases because they are so inconvenient to travel with, store, transport, etc. I now remove the driver head and use a 46" wooden dowel.

[SilverBullets]

I just unscrew the heads of all of my woods and take them off the shaft. I then put the club head in their head cover and stuff it in the side pockets of the bag. I also will put them on the inside of the pocket and then will put a towel, or jackets, or shoe (basically whatever I am carrying in my travel bag anyways) on the outside to give an extra layer of protection. I then rubber band the 3 shafts together to give a little extra strength. Lastly, I have an old 46" shaft which I pulled in favor of a 44" driver shaft. I put it in the top of the bag so it will take the brunt.

[Coheed]

Always...

[rsh0308]

Always try to stiff arm people out of the way when I'm at the airport.

Also use the bagboy stiff arm. Thought the shaft was way sturdier than the club glove version. Take my driver and 3w and tuck under the cap and wrap a towel around them to make sure they stay protected underneath. No problems yet.

[rcain1us]

This past trip worked great (granted it was only a short flight from Boston to Raleigh).

I brought two drivers with both heads in headcovers in my carry on.

Stiff arm
2 driver shafts
4-PW, 52, 58
Hybrid, 5w, 3w
Putter

In a SunMountain 3-5

A $10 set of Walmart neoprene iron covers and a couple of towels, then the rain cover

In the Burst proof with a shoe in each zippered pocket.

[jrsharp21]

[quote name='Toph84' timestamp='1424124461' post='10966013']
Go to the hardware store and buy a wooden dowel rod for $2 to $4 and have it cut to whatever length you need for your travel bag. Get 1/2" or bigger. Wrap a towel on the end of the dowel if its too short.
[/quote]

This is what I do. I actually use two of them. I bought 1.5" wooden dowels. I cut one to size to fit in my bag and sticks out a little higher than my longest club in the bag. I have a tennis ball on the end of the dowel not in the bag. I then wrap towels all around the heads and around the dowel. Put the rain cover on top of all that to keep in snug. Then in my travel case, I cut a dowel the size of the bag and put two tennis balls on each side and throw this in the bag and then the bag on top of the dowel and zip it up.