To Ship Or Not To Ship?

[CBearse]

Going to Scotland from the US in early May this year. 4 total going, all taking clubs for a 10 day golf packed trip. Having never traveled with golf clubs, I am trying to decide whether to use a company like ship stick to ship my clubs or fly with them? I got a Club Glove Last Bag as a Christmas present, so if I fly with clubs I have the travel bag covered. I’m sure you guys have done both so what are your thoughts/opinions?

[puttnforthe8]

7 minutes ago, CBearse said:

Going to Scotland from the US in early May this year. 4 total going, all taking clubs for a 10 day golf packed trip. Having never traveled with golf clubs, I am trying to decide whether to use a company like ship stick to ship my clubs or fly with them? I got a Club Glove Last Bag as a Christmas present, so if I fly with clubs I have the travel bag covered. I’m sure you guys have done both so what are your thoughts/opinions?

 

Depends

 

- if it is a direct flight?  I would say NO.  just see last bullet below.

- if not direct, do you have issue with the cost? The cost to ship intl will be a lot more than taking them on the plane.

- If cost is not an issue, then it is a decent option for consideration - it makes it so your bags are waiting for you and less to lug at any point (especially when you arrive - you can take a regular car, as opposed to needing something to haul clubs and luggage and the 4 of you)

- if cost is an issue, and you need to take on the plane, then make sure you have some buffer before your rounds.  If you have a round upon landing/arriving, you may be w/o clubs if there is an issue.

- if you take them with you, add air tags, keep track on the app, get checked in early enough so it makes it on, etc.  Or have/get Priority, so that you get a Priority sticker and such.

 

 

[Abh159]

@puttnforthe8 has some good points. Especially related to costs.

 

Shipping from the US to Scotland is going to run you approximately $500 total (per person) with Shipsticks. You can do a quote on their site and mine was $450 to ship to Scotland and that is before any taxes or fees.

 

The other thing I'll add to the previous post is time. If shipping internationally with Shipsticks you'll need to ship your clubs at least a week beforehand (you also won't have them back for probably at least a week after). Basically you'll be without your clubs for a week leading up to your trip and a week after your trip if that matters to you.

[CBearse]

12 minutes ago, puttnforthe8 said:

 

Depends

 

- if it is a direct flight?  I would say NO.  just see last bullet below.

- if not direct, do you have issue with the cost? The cost to ship intl will be a lot more than taking them on the plane.

- If cost is not an issue, then it is a decent option for consideration - it makes it so your bags are waiting for you and less to lug at any point (especially when you arrive - you can take a regular car, as opposed to needing something to haul clubs and luggage and the 4 of you)

- if cost is an issue, and you need to take on the plane, then make sure you have some buffer before your rounds.  If you have a round upon landing/arriving, you may be w/o clubs if there is an issue.

- if you take them with you, add air tags, keep track on the app, get checked in early enough so it makes it on, etc.  Or have/get Priority, so that you get a Priority sticker and such.

 

 

Not direct, 1 layover abroad but first round is roughly 24 hrs after landing. Not hung up on cost, I figure if I’m going all the way over there I just want to have my clubs and not be playing a rental set I’m not familiar with…

[Pepperturbo]

I've traveled a great many miles, domestic and international, taking my clubs along in ClubGlove Burst Proof II with Stiff Arm.  So far, knock on wood, they have always shown up at the arriving airport.  There's a chance I'll be heading to Scotland and Germany next year.  If so, we just might take a pvt flight. 😛

 

I can afford to pay whatever the costs are - except I can't convince myself to pay times two bags, and give up my clubs long before I leave and get them back long after I am home.  For some travelers who don't play golf often, that may be acceptable, not for me.

[hammergolf]

My first question is where your layover is. If it’s London, ship your clubs. At the best of times it’s 50/50 if your clubs make it on time from Heathrow connections. If your connection is in the US you should be fine checking your bags. Cost is roughly double for Shipsticks, but if you don’t mind being without your clubs for a couple days before your trip and don’t mind the extra cost mailing them is a good choice.

[Schley]

Unless you have a right connection or a secured tee time your first day at TOC or Muirfield I can't see using ship sticks myself.  Like many here I have probably taken over 100 golf trips with flights and twice my clubs were late.  About a third were international.

 

Ship sticks margins have to be very good. Before COVID u could get an economy flight from us to UK for 500-700 bucks. To pay 500 just for clubs seems unnecessary as it is almost an expensive insurance policy.

[hammergolf]

54 minutes ago, Schley said:

Unless you have a right connection or a secured tee time your first day at TOC or Muirfield I can't see using ship sticks myself.  Like many here I have probably taken over 100 golf trips with flights and twice my clubs were late.  About a third were international.

 

Ship sticks margins have to be very good. Before COVID u could get an economy flight from us to UK for 500-700 bucks. To pay 500 just for clubs seems unnecessary as it is almost an expensive insurance policy.

How many of those flights were to Scotland connecting through London? 

[ND2005]

2 hours ago, Schley said:

Unless you have a right connection or a secured tee time your first day at TOC or Muirfield I can't see using ship sticks myself.  Like many here I have probably taken over 100 golf trips with flights and twice my clubs were late.  About a third were international.

 

Ship sticks margins have to be very good. Before COVID u could get an economy flight from us to UK for 500-700 bucks. To pay 500 just for clubs seems unnecessary as it is almost an expensive insurance policy.

The OP went on their trip a month ago. Quit bumping old threads for no reason 

[Schley]

12 hours ago, hammergolf said:

How many of those flights were to Scotland connecting through London? 

4 and 2 to Ireland.  Had an issue with Lufthansa once via Frankfurt, but was right connection.  

[Schley]

10 hours ago, ND2005 said:

The OP went on their trip a month ago. Quit bumping old threads for no reason 

What is the issue?  🤷‍♂️ We are talking about ship sticks generally and lost clubs.

 

Did u just lose your clubs on a trip?  Don't worry they will turn up.😉

[CBearse]

For what it’s worth, all four in our group checked our golf clubs on the way down and on the way back and didn’t have a single issue either way. No lost bags, no broken clubs. Flew from local airport - ATL - AMS - INV. On way back EDI - JFK - ATL - Local airport so we avoided Heathrow…

[Schley]

1 minute ago, CBearse said:

For what it’s worth, all four in our group checked our golf clubs on the way down and on the way back and didn’t have a single issue either way. No lost bags, no broken clubs. Flew from local airport - ATL - AMS - INV. On way back EDI - JFK - ATL - Local airport so we avoided Heathrow…

Great.  I just went bah-lhr-inv last week no issues an BA. 

Then yesterday, Inv-lhr-ord on BA also no issues.  Up in Dornoch there are quite a few people using ship sticks to rdgc and royal golf hotel adjacent.  Saw maybe 6 boxes in their club room there.

[CBearse]

30 minutes ago, Schley said:

Great.  I just went bah-lhr-inv last week no issues an BA. 

Then yesterday, Inv-lhr-ord on BA also no issues.  Up in Dornoch there are quite a few people using ship sticks to rdgc and royal golf hotel adjacent.  Saw maybe 6 boxes in their club room there.

That’s a great little hotel ain’t it!?! The staff there are amazing.

 

We weren’t originally going to go up there, but decided to go a few days early and went up there on a whim. We all 100% agree if we go back we’ll be going back to Dornoch.