Lock your club travel bags?

[rwhitlock]

I have not traveled with my clubs in years, so I'm not quite sure if I should put a lock on my club travel bag, or zip tie, or nothing?  Last time I did travel, the TSA opened the bag anyway and kindly rearranged things for me 😞  

 

Any tips or advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,  Rod

[nitram]

Get a TSA compliant lock. They are still going to look inside your bag. It's just a matter of whether you want the baggage handlers (airlines, shuttle, hotel, golf course) to have 'carte blanche' with your bag's contents before you open it.

[Argonne69]

I wouldn't bother. If the TSA opens your bag, there's a 99.99% chance they won't relock it. Heck, I've had several instances where the TSA didn't even bother to rezip the bag, leaving it wide open as it traveled.

 

 

[Abh159]

No point in locking it (or buying a lock for it). As someone else already mentioned they are most likely going to look through it anyway, and if you don't have a TSA approved lock then they'll cut off your existing one.

[rwhitlock]

just did a search for TSA compliant locks..  if I get one with a combination, is there some secret combo that TSA knows to get it unlocked?  

[Abh159]

1 minute ago, rwhitlock said:

just did a search for TSA compliant locks..  if I get one with a combination, is there some secret combo that TSA knows to get it unlocked?  

 

Pretty sure all of those still have a keyhole port where TSA can use their key to open it. Again, having a lock on it isn't going to deter them from opening it. If anything it may encourage them to go through it more frequently.

 

Save yourself the $10 and forget about getting a lock.

[rwhitlock]

sorry for the additional question, but is it still a good idea to pull the heads off driver and 3-wood?  Turn the shafts upside down in the bag?  I had done that previously from a suggestion of others.  Supposed to help keep the clubs from being broken

 

[Roody]

I think the TSA has gone through my golf bag every single time I've flown with it. And I've done it both ways, lock, no lock, it doesn't matter. I usually Shipsticks my clubs for the most part these days. 

[Roody]

Just now, rwhitlock said:

sorry for the additional question, but is it still a good idea to pull the heads off driver and 3-wood?  Turn the shafts upside down in the bag?  I had done that previously from a suggestion of others.  Supposed to help keep the clubs from being broken

 

I never have. I have a soft case with a Stiff Arm inside, and never had problems. 

[DFS PFD]

TSA lock, stiff arm with driver/3 wood heads removed from shafts with adapter placed upside down in bag, and rags or something of that nature to limit banging of club heads as your bag is thrown as far as TSA/airline employees can manage. 

[Abh159]

I have a club glove collegiate with a stiff arm. I remove the heads from my woods but don't bother turning the shafts upside down. I'll wrap a towel or two around the top of the bag so all the clubs/shafts have nowhere to move around, and I'll get some bubble wrap from the dollar store and stuff it into the pockets of my bag for extra padding. I'm fortunate in that I've never had anything break or get damaged during travel. 

 

** Currently knocking on my wood desk as I type this

 

[Flip4000]

32 minutes ago, rwhitlock said:

sorry for the additional question, but is it still a good idea to pull the heads off driver and 3-wood?  Turn the shafts upside down in the bag?  I had done that previously from a suggestion of others.  Supposed to help keep the clubs from being broken

 

I always take mine off, put them inside the head cover, and put the headcovers in the big pocket of my bag. I don't flip the shafts around but I do usually take a rubber band or some twine and wrap a towel around the shafts and irons just to limit everything from moving around and then I put the rain cover on over them as well 

[Itsjustagame]

I use a club glove with stiff arm, amd take the head of my driver. Easy enough to do.

I also put range finders, golf watches etc in my carry on.

[CCTxGolf]

TSA required to go through the golf bags. They don’t just do it randomly or for fun. They test grips etc for bomb making materials. 
 

I worked for continental right out of college and watched them do it. They use a swab to rub random clubs and golf shoes and put it in some sort of device that detects explosives. 
 

They open every piece of luggage that does not fit through their big X-ray machine. That machine does more than just X-ray. 
 

Ski bags, snowboards, golf bags etc. all get the treatment.

 

Like others have said lock is worthless as far as the airport is concerned. Nobody that works for the airlines or TSA cares to look through your stuff or steal anything. They would get fired instantly and cameras are in airports like a vegas casino. They pass hundreds of golf bags a day.

 

Club glove and stiff arm will get you were you need to be.

[Hawkeye77]

We use padlocks with combinations.  Never had TSA fail to lock it back up.  

[Tsquare90]

I have an old Club Glove Last Bag without wheels and travel with clubs 10-12 times a year..  I do not think my bag is searched very often, TSA will put a notice in the bag if they check it. Use a stiff arm and make sure it is fully extended and wrap a towel around the shafts and leave the head covers on the woods.  Padding is your friend.  Check in early because you might need to drop the bag at TSA oversized check-in after the airline check-in.

[hammergolf]

No use to lock it. If someone’s gonna steal your clubs they are taking the cover too. TSA or other countries are gonna check inside anyways. A lock just makes it a target, so more it gets pulled and thoroughly checked increasing the chance they don’t make it on your flight. Just make sure you have a stiff arm to protect them and if you have adjustable hosel on your woods and hybrids, take the heads off and put them in the head cover.

[SBH9458]

I use a hard case. And I do not lock it for the reasons stated above. Works out well so far. 

[dcmidnight]

11 hours ago, SBH9458 said:

I use a hard case. And I do not lock it for the reasons stated above. Works out well so far. 

 

Same with my SKB case - I actually put a piece of first aid tape on the main latch that says UNLOCKED so they dont bother screwing around with the lock itself. But I also use a luggage strap just in case.

[ND2005]

13 hours ago, CCTxGolf said:

TSA required to go through the golf bags. They don’t just do it randomly or for fun. They test grips etc for bomb making materials. 
 

I worked for continental right out of college and watched them do it. They use a swab to rub random clubs and golf shoes and put it in some sort of device that detects explosives. 
 

They open every piece of luggage that does not fit through their big X-ray machine. That machine does more than just X-ray. 
 

Ski bags, snowboards, golf bags etc. all get the treatment.

 

Like others have said lock is worthless as far as the airport is concerned. Nobody that works for the airlines or TSA cares to look through your stuff or steal anything. They would get fired instantly and cameras are in airports like a vegas casino. They pass hundreds of golf bags a day.

 

Club glove and stiff arm will get you were you need to be.

 

My bag has definitely not been searched every time I fly

[Bonneville85308]

I travel with a soft zippered golf travel bag. I've been using the TSA locks - the small keyed ones available cheaply at Walmart, etc. - for probably 10 years now with no issues. Before that, I used zip ties to secure the zippers, which was problematic because the TSA didn't always replace them after their search and there was a chance my stuff would spill out all over the tarmac. My golf travel bag gets searched by the TSA every single time I travel and they leave that little paper behind. I don't worry about my stuff getting stolen, I worry about the bag coming open and stuff falling out if TSA doesn't re-secure it properly.

[vallygolf]

21 minutes ago, Bonneville85308 said:

I travel with a soft zippered golf travel bag. I've been using the TSA locks - the small keyed ones available cheaply at Walmart, etc. - for probably 10 years now with no issues. Before that, I used zip ties to secure the zippers, which was problematic because the TSA didn't always replace them after their search and there was a chance my stuff would spill out all over the tarmac. My golf travel bag gets searched by the TSA every single time I travel and they leave that little paper behind. I don't worry about my stuff getting stolen, I worry about the bag coming open and stuff falling out if TSA doesn't re-secure it properly.

Interesting.  I never use locks and get searched about 25% of the time (they leave the little paper inside the bag).  I wonder if a lock or ziptie is a red flag (Hey look there is stuff in here I dont want people to have access to).    On a related side note.  I was one of those posters who recommended routinely on here that a club glove and stiff arm were all you needed.  I had traveled hundreds of times with no incident......until last year when I opened my club glove to find my stiff arm with broken plastic and bent, and the zipper on the top of my bag completely obliterated.  compressed so hard that a quarter sized area was completely flattened and unrecognizable as a zipper.  I pulled the bag open to find my driver (which I never used to take the head off) snapped at the hosel.  It was on the morning of my round at pebble so I played with a 3 wood only.  Needless to say I take the heads off now.  Still have no idea how so much force could have been put on that head.

[slprince67]

I take the heads off and use a stiff arm....

[Argonne69]

I traveled with my Club Glove at least 40 times over the past 12 years, and I'd estimate my bag was searched 50% of the time. I was told that the golf shoes pick up fertilizer, which sets off the scanner. 

 

[Bob Cat]

22 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

I travel with a soft zippered golf travel bag. I've been using the TSA locks - the small keyed ones available cheaply at Walmart, etc. - for probably 10 years now with no issues. Before that, I used zip ties to secure the zippers, which was problematic because the TSA didn't always replace them after their search and there was a chance my stuff would spill out all over the tarmac. My golf travel bag gets searched by the TSA every single time I travel and they leave that little paper behind. I don't worry about my stuff getting stolen, I worry about the bag coming open and stuff falling out if TSA doesn't re-secure it properly.

 

Ditto.

My Club Glove Collegiate is just long enough to accommodate all 14 clubs WITH their heads on (including StiffArm).  Removing the heads increases TSA's chances of getting everything back in and zippered up.

 

Interesting comment on shoes picking up fertilizer.  Makes sense.

[david.c.w]

+1 for club glove and stiff arm and no lock.  Never had anything lost, stolen or broken.  I feel like mine has not been searched in a while.  I used to always get he leaflet but not recently.  I did get permanent TSA precheck so that may or may not de-flag my bag for double check.

 

It has been 20 years but I remember coming back from Scotland and customs pulled out my shoes and sprayed them to kill anything that I picked up from walking in what they called "farmland".   I guess they thought the entire place has cows, sheep and goats walking around and me not watching where I am going.

 

 

 

[cubuffs]

On 2/21/2022 at 6:41 PM, Tsquare90 said:

I have an old Club Glove Last Bag without wheels and travel with clubs 10-12 times a year..  I do not think my bag is searched very often, TSA will put a notice in the bag if they check it. Use a stiff arm and make sure it is fully extended and wrap a towel around the shafts and leave the head covers on the woods.  Padding is your friend.  Check in early because you might need to drop the bag at TSA oversized check-in after the airline check-in.

 

Just wanted to second this!  As someone who travels frequently for work or with my Son who is a competitive junior, have used the Club Glove and stiff arm and have never had issues.  I have never used a lock but will take off things like a rangefinder and put it in a pocket so it isn't there enticing anyone...

[oldmotor]

A few years back, I was on a golf trip with several friends. We were having a beer, when one of the guys had his name called over the P.A. System to come to the TSA office. They wanted him to unlock his golf bag. I thought they would have just cut it off.

[BoomShakalaka5]

Ship sticks doesn’t stand by their policy of insurance.  Be very careful.  They bury different things on their websites.  If you ship in your club glove last bag like I did, they won’t pay for the damage to the bag.  They destroyed the top of my bag and the zipper was completely torn off from there.  Does it say they won’t cover it on their page when you book?  No, it is buried in a claims page. They don’t even say to look at the claims page.  It’s B.S. and wouldn’t use them again.  I’m out $400 on my bag due to their lack of insuring that it arrives in good shape.  

[rwhitlock]

I know this is extremely late for an update, but I did have a TSA approved lock on my bag.  Both flights the bag was not opened.  All in all, it was a nice trip.