best way to get clubs international

[ovodeano]

Flying my first time to play golf and I’m very scared to lose or damage my clubs. Is ship sticks worth it? What’s the safest way to get my clubs to whistler? I have a big SKB hard case so I know shipping would be expensive. Has anyone had experience with air Canada with their clubs?  

Edited April 30 by ovodeano

[Abh159]

If just going from Canada to the US I wouldn't think it would be any riskier than flying with them to someplace else in Canada. Could they get lost or damaged? Sure, but that could also happen with Shipsticks.

 

A lot of people use Shipsticks and it's fine, but keep in mind you'll be without your clubs for approximately 1 week before and 1 week after your trip. It can also get pretty expensive.

 

One other thing to remember is that a lot of hardsided golf bag cases are too big to fit in a standard rental car trunk. If you're renting a car and flying with your clubs you'll probably need to get an SUV or minivan.

[knock it close]

I've flown with my clubs two dozen times probably, no issues to speak of, handful of times on Air Canada. Ship sticks isn't cost effective from Canada for me and I don't want to be without my clubs for days before a trip most of the time. 

Edited April 30 by knock it close

[ovodeano]

10 minutes ago, knock it close said:

I've flown with my clubs two dozen times probably, no issues to speak of, handful of times on Air Canada. Ship sticks isn't cost effective from Canada for me and I don't want to be without my clubs for days before a trip most of the time. 

What was the cost for air Canada?

[Roody]

I've used Shipsticks several times over the past few years. So far, no issues, they've been great. It's worth the cost, IMO. 

But I only use Shiptsticks if the destination is a golf resort that will be ready to receive the clubs and store them for me. Otherwise I just bring them on the plane with me. 

[ovodeano]

5 minutes ago, Roody said:

I've used Shipsticks several times over the past few years. So far, no issues, they've been great. It's worth the cost, IMO. 

But I only use Shiptsticks if the destination is a golf resort that will be ready to receive the clubs and store them for me. Otherwise I just bring them on the plane with me. 

For $300 would you use ship sticks? Or pay the $100 for checked bag?

[Roody]

1 minute ago, ovodeano said:

For $300 would you use ship sticks? Or pay the $100 for checked bag?

That seems a little high compared to what I have paid in the past, but still a yes. Not having to lug the clubs through the airport, and not worrying that the airline is going to lose or damage them are all worth it in my opinion. 

If you get on ShipSticks' email list they have 20% off deals practically every month. 

[ovodeano]

Just now, Roody said:

That seems a little high compared to what I have paid in the past, but still a yes. Not having to lug the clubs through the airport, and not worrying that the airline is going to lose or damage them are all worth it in my opinion. 

If you get on ShipSticks' email list they have 20% off deals practically every month. 

Ya he mentioned that over the phone for a new customer. 

[Roody]

@ovodeano I will also say that out of the maybe 8-10 times my wife and I have used them, one time we had a small issue. When my wife's clubs arrived back home from a trip a couple years ago, she opened them up to find the driver head had broken clean off. We had the $2000 of insurance on the clubs through ShipSticks. I called them, and their customer support was great. Said to snap a pic of the broken club, get an estimate for a fix, and they took care of the rest. There was no hesitation, the rep was eager to help. 

[ovodeano]

1 minute ago, Roody said:

@ovodeano I will also say that out of the maybe 8-10 times my wife and I have used them, one time we had a small issue. When my wife's clubs arrived back home from a trip a couple years ago, she opened them up to find the driver head had broken clean off. We had the $2000 of insurance on the clubs through ShipSticks. I called them, and their customer support was great. Said to snap a pic of the broken club, get an estimate for a fix, and they took care of the rest. There was no hesitation, the rep was eager to help. 

did they send you a check or did you have to go through insurance? My clubs are all custom so value upwards of 5k so want to make sure I’m fully covered. 

[Shilgy]

1 hour ago, Abh159 said:

If just going from Canada to the US I wouldn't think it would be any riskier than flying with them to someplace else in Canada. Could they get lost or damaged? Sure, but that could also happen with Shipsticks.

 

A lot of people use Shipsticks and it's fine, but keep in mind you'll be without your clubs for approximately 1 week before and 1 week after your trip. It can also get pretty expensive.

 

One other thing to remember is that a lot of hardsided golf bag cases are too big to fit in a standard rental car trunk. If you're renting a car and flying with your clubs you'll probably need to get an SUV or minivan.

Or, do what I’ve done many times and put that hard shell case on the backseat.

[Shankyouverymuch]

I used Shipsticks for a Hawaii trip. The cost was about $300. However, my friend and I pared down to 10 clubs each and fit both bags into my hard case. It was probably over the weight limit but not so much that they made an issue of it. Ended up being cheaper than each of us renting clubs three times while there. My son in law shipped his clubs from Canada to Kiawah and the hard case was broken in transit. They sent a check for the price of a new case with no delay.

[knock it close]

2 hours ago, ovodeano said:

What was the cost for air Canada?

Standard checked bag rate which is like $30 for the first bag $50 for the second I think. 

[hammergolf]

4 hours ago, ovodeano said:

Flying my first time to play golf and I’m very scared to lose or damage my clubs. Is ship sticks worth it? What’s the safest way to get my clubs to whistler? I have a big SKB hard case so I know shipping would be expensive. Has anyone had experience with air Canada with their clubs?  

Will you be taking a direct flight? If so your SKB hard case will protect your clubs very well so I would have no worries about checking your clubs on your flight.

[ovodeano]

18 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Will you be taking a direct flight? If so your SKB hard case will protect your clubs very well so I would have no worries about checking your clubs on your flight.

I’m just worried about losing them 

[tad950]

No problems with Air Canada. Except for one time when my sticks didn’t make it to the luggage carousel/oversize drop. Had to go to the lost luggage desk. I told them my AirTag (highly recommended for air travel) showed them at SFO. The bag showed up a few minutes later. 
 

BTW. Arrivals and departures for Canada at SFO are at the domestic terminal, not international. Might be the same at your airport. 
 

p.s. I believe Ship Sticks only covers $1000.

Edited April 30 by tad950

[vallygolf]

I have flown with clubs hundreds of times.  Domestic, international, multistop international.  Never had any problem of any kind, but Im not one who finds it inconvenient to pull them from the baggage claim to the curb or through customs.  I use a club glove soft case with a stiff arm, and it does fine, and fits in nearly every trunk/car I encounter.  Im guessing pros clubs are more valuable to them than yours are to you.  Pros never ship their clubs.  Im sure they could get lost, but its no more likely than your luggage.  If I were going to a dedicated resort, and not playing golf anywhere else then I could maybe justify shipsticks, but two weeks without the clubs it a bit excessive, and im sure international would be more.  IMO your clubs have a higher likelihood of being damaged with all the onloading and offloading of shipping vs on and off a few flights.

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, ovodeano said:

I’m just worried about losing them 

You can put an AirTag in them so you’ll know where they are at all times. I’ve flown dozens of times with my clubs and never had them get lost. 

[act0fgod]

People always talk about losing clubs on flights but clubs can get lost anytime you give them up to someone.

 

Played with a pair of guys in Ireland last year.  They both dropped their clubs off at the same location at the same time with shipstix.  One guys clubs didn't make it.  Shipstix seemed to be great with the reimbursement for rentals but they guy was on day ten of rentals.  He had some sort of tracker with his clubs and the last update was in Dublin.

[st1800e]

I’m in Canada. Flown Air Canada hundreds of times, never lost luggage or clubs.  
Only time I lost luggage was on an American airline, I think it was United, Calgary to Palm Springs, via LAX with a change of planes.  Always avoid a change of planes, better yet book a direct non stop.
 

 I did get my clubs 2 days later……

 

Air Tag is a must.  I’ve  never used shipsticks, cost is too much.    It’s via air too and who knows how many places it goes before it gets to the destination. 
 

I always use a club glove with stiff arm, and remove the driver head, put it in the side pocket inside the headcover.   

[cardia10]

Air Canada left our clubs on the tarmac for 4 days.....4 bags going to Edinburgh for a trip of a lifetime. The bonus is, they made it to us in time to check them in to fly home only for them to be lost again....

[CCTxGolf]

Just check them. More than three layovers/legs or a change of airlines (non affiliated airlines) within your itinerary may be the only reason I would consider not checking them.

 

For every one horror story there are thousands (probably more) of trips made without incident.

 

Hard case will be a pain in the a** throughout the trip but other than that you are good to go. In the future I would consider a club glove with stiff arm. The mass majority of touring pros at every level go that route.

Edited May 1 by CCTxGolf

[gato_plomo]

Never had an issue flying with my clubs.. 

[Caddy Woods]

On 5/1/2024 at 3:44 AM, st1800e said:

I always use a club glove with stiff arm, and remove the driver head, put it in the side pocket inside the headcover.   

Follow this advice, plus the airtag.

 

I also have a club glove with stiff arm. I don't remove the head from my driver but that's because I have a complicated relationship with my driver.

 

I live overseas and I do multiple international trips per year to Asia/Europe/US. If you're going direct it's a no-brainer to fly with the clubs. I do my best to pick the most direct route, but even on trips with multiple stops I've yet to have an issue.

 

 

[david.c.w]

Have had a club glove and stiff arm for 20 years.   Never an issue in a flight.  Leave wood heads in.  Have flown back and forth 50+ times.  

 

I think taking on your flight is the best way.  Clubs sometimes have to go to oversize luggage and take a different route to the plane, so make sure to give yourself an extra 30 min.