Shipping clubs to Hawaii for trip

professor_doom · July 3, 2011

Cheapest way? Clubs only--no bag

So I'm heading to Hawaii from my DC home later this week and spending a month there. Before you all turn green with envy, let me say that it's hardly a pleasure trip--my grandmother was diagnosed with alzheimer's about a year ago and I'm heading out to help her square away some legal, financial, and medical matters and do some cleaning up and maintenance on her house. I wish I didn't have to go. Still, I'm going to try to get a few rounds in out there and at the very least try to make it to the range a couple times a week--it's the only way I can stay sane with all this going on.

Now I have two aunts and and an uncle in Honolulu who could let me borrow a golf bag. Unfortunately, my uncle's clubs are nowhere near my specs. It's 20 bucks to ship my sticks with me via Delta and I'd rather not give the TSA brownshirts and airport baggage monkeys the chance to mess with them. I have a couple boxes lying around from previous club purchases in which I can ship my clubs. One option I'm considering is bringing a backup set and leaving them with someone in case return trips are necessary--I'd save myself the cost of return shipping by doing so as well.

Anyway, does anyone know whether I can realize any significant savings shipping with fedex, UPS, or USPS?

Poser · July 3, 2011

I travel alot with my clubs and only on one occassion did they get lost. Luckily it was on the return trip and I got them back the next day. I think shipping them you run into the same chances of damaging them but, also spend alot more money I'm sure.

Hutch306 · July 3, 2011

It's wayyyyy cheaper to take the clubs with you on the plane than it is to ship via UPS/Fed Ex/USPS. If necessary, try putting some sort of padding on the inside of the boxes you mentioned to better protect them.

bignose · July 3, 2011

An interesting trick I've read about, but never tried personally, would be to pack a starter's pistol with the clubs. The kicker being that a starters pistol is considered a full-fledged firearm by the TSA, and they are going to take special care to not lose this package with a firearm. More info in the following link:

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/09/24/secure-your-checked-.html

hef63303 · July 3, 2011

It will cost you far more to ship them than to take them with you. Plus they will get treated just as poorly by the shipping company as they will by the airline.

Cwing · July 3, 2011

Buy yourself a backup set and have them shipped to your Aunt/Uncle's place at the time of purchase. Rock Bottom has some great deals. Then you can leave them there and you'll be covered.

Hateto3Putt · July 3, 2011

Checkout Craigslist for a used set when you get there..

http://honolulu.craigslist.org/search/spo/oah?query=golf+clubs&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=

noob · July 4, 2011

Being in HI myself, I'd say bring them with you on the airplane. The cost to ship them UPS/FedEx/USPS is going to be a lot more unless you can get a greatly discounted rate somehow. If you are set on shipping them, usps is probably the cheapest route.

I have only travelled with my clubs inter-island before and once, they cracked my driver shaft. If you have woods with removable heads, take them off and wrap them with bubble wrap and stick them in the pockets of your bag. I've also seen a big metal mushroom looking contraption that is supposed to protect your woods from damage while traveling. Better yet, travel with your back up set.

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