White Rhino
SANDBAGGER!!!!!!!
On Champions? With teams of 4 internet golfers?? I am thinking 12 to 18 under.. lol
Official THP 2011 Golf Outing & Demo Day
On Champions? With teams of 4 internet golfers?? I am thinking 12 to 18 under.. lol
- Staff
- #5,027
-24, my team is going to eagle every Par 5 and get atleast 2 Aces. I'm sure we will hole out from the fairway a few times as well. No big deal
Correct re: US Airways. I just flew with them and golf bags are fine as long as it is below 50 pounds and it's the first checked bag. Fees start adding up if it's over 50 and more than one checked bag.
- Staff
- #5,030
well said Biggsy!
cg13
Addict
i have one - but it still doesnt ease my thoughts completely. What if they lose my clubs, or break my bag in half. lol i know its crazy, but i think i can convince them my putter is my walking stick, old military knee wound?
White Rhino
SANDBAGGER!!!!!!!
I believe the stiff arm comes with some sort of guarantee, not sure if it is financial or not, also I would get a good quality bag. Last year I used my bosses Club Glove bag and it worked very well. Since I plan to go to these outings as long as THP has then I went out and got a Club Glove bag of my own and it cae with a guarantee also. I wuld say protect yourself the best you can with bag and stiffarm and then just roll with it. The putter as a walking stick might work.
cg13
Addict
i have the club glove - i bought a big one - since ill probably have to fly with some big bags in august.
hehe you just cannot replace this putter... its special, it has a name, its the slayer of paradise.
yorkem
The Terra Cotta King
White Rhino
SANDBAGGER!!!!!!!
Im sure you will win something, it will be right handed though.
Maybe not, maybe he'll win a divot mat!!
coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
yorkem
The Terra Cotta King
Well said chunkylovers friend!
You're killin' me smalls!!! LOL!!!
Dr. Teeth
Well-known member
In response to Southwests baggage policy. They are fine as long as it is no more than 50 lbs and 62 total inches. However I flew with them and they didn't even look at the measurements of my bag. It looks like it can be up to 100 lbs for an additional charge of $50. So just make sure it is below 50. The nice thing about Southwest is you can check two bags for free.
MaryC
Lady of Leisure
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Last year about this time, there were a lot of posts about traveling with your bags and how to pack them. I posted a long post last year about this because I travel for business about 32+ weeks a year and typically, I bring my clubs with me (Last year, I logged 39 trips with my clubs when I included my vacations) .
So, I thought I'd just post a general informational "how to travel with your clubs and get them there in one piece" based on my experiences as a "road warrior" who travels with her clubs. Hopefully this post helps the folks who are traveling with your clubs for the first time or who don't travel with them often. They are our "babies" and I know it can be stressful handing them over to the airlines.
I've flown with my golf clubs on SW, United, AirTran, JetBlue, Delta, American, and Air Canada (Sorry, no US Scareways for me). JetBlue doesn't charge anything for the first bag checked and $35 for the 2nd - 4th bag. and SW lets all your bags fly for free. Everyone else treats golf bags as "one normal checked bag" and you will pay the baggage fee of $25 - 45 for the first bag and then more for the additional bags depending on the airline. ALL the airlines have weight limits for even the free bag. Check with your airline and then use a house scale to weigh your golf bag. When fully packed, mine typically comes in around 42lbs (clubs, balls, shoes, bag crap, stiff arm, towels, bag)
Arrive at the airport 1.5 - 2hrs before your flight with your golf bag. This give you, the airline, AND TSA (if you are departing from the US) enough time to handle your bag. Even though the ticket counter sees your golf bag as a normal bag, the folks actually handling your bag after the ticket counter see it as oversize or special handling. Which means it takes more time for them to get the bag to your airplane because they actually handle your bag (not the big conveyer belts). In some cases, after you check in at the counter and get your baggage tag, you will have to walk your bag over to an Oversize Luggage counter or actually take it to a special TSA screening area for oversize or special handling items. If you have to wait in line at the ticket counter AND then do this, you may find you have to wait in another line BEFORE you go wait in the security line.
I use a soft sided bag with a reinforced bottom around the wheels and a padded top. I have stiff arm and wrap two towels around my clubs. I put two pairs of shoes, and 4 sleeves of balls in my bag along with the normal things that are in my golf bag. I lock the bag with zip ties. Yes, I know you can used TSA Approved locks but trust me on this (personal experience with 7 different TSA pre-approved locks) the TSA agents don't always have the right key set with them, or don't want to be bothered and will cut off the lock if they inspect it. Zip ties are easy and protect the bag as much as any lock would and don't "piss off" the TSA agents.
I have never had a club break and that was even after watching two idiots from Delta Airline TOSS my golf bag across the tarmac. I've only had two travel covers in all that time (again, Delta OEM Kevin'd one last year). With the exception of it normally being opened by TSA, they always arrive OK.
BTW, a nice little thing I do for TSA to make sure they re-wrap my clubs in the towels, is I tape a note thanking them for their work, politely asking them to re-pack my bag as they found it, and tape a piece of Dove chocolate to the note. The clubs are always re-wrapped and I've gotten nice notes written back thanking me for the chocolate.
If you are making a connection, arrive at the gate where you are connecting about 30 minutes before you board because this is when baggage from connecting flights gets loaded. I find a window where I see the bags being loaded and watch for my golf bag. Oversize bags are typically the last bags loaded with exception of "gate checked" bags. If you don't see your golf clubs go on the plane, you still have time to alert the counter person (I have had my clubs not be put on, alerted the counter person, and had them find and get my clubs onto the plane by watching what goes on. It saved my long weekend in N. Michigan from being golfless because I was going to Pellston, MI and my clubs were going to Peoria, IL).
Once you arrive at your destination, expect your bags to either be at the baggage claim where the regular bags are or at an Oversize Baggage claim area. I always open my golf bag AT the airport and inspect the clubs. It is much easier to make a claim, if you have to, AT the airport than it is to get to your destination and then have to file the claim. Sometimes, you have to go BACK to the airport to file the claim.
In all the years I've been flying with my clubs, I've only filed one claim and it was last year for the Delta mangling of my travel cover.
See you and your clubs at PGA National!!
So, I thought I'd just post a general informational "how to travel with your clubs and get them there in one piece" based on my experiences as a "road warrior" who travels with her clubs. Hopefully this post helps the folks who are traveling with your clubs for the first time or who don't travel with them often. They are our "babies" and I know it can be stressful handing them over to the airlines.
I've flown with my golf clubs on SW, United, AirTran, JetBlue, Delta, American, and Air Canada (Sorry, no US Scareways for me). JetBlue doesn't charge anything for the first bag checked and $35 for the 2nd - 4th bag. and SW lets all your bags fly for free. Everyone else treats golf bags as "one normal checked bag" and you will pay the baggage fee of $25 - 45 for the first bag and then more for the additional bags depending on the airline. ALL the airlines have weight limits for even the free bag. Check with your airline and then use a house scale to weigh your golf bag. When fully packed, mine typically comes in around 42lbs (clubs, balls, shoes, bag crap, stiff arm, towels, bag)
Arrive at the airport 1.5 - 2hrs before your flight with your golf bag. This give you, the airline, AND TSA (if you are departing from the US) enough time to handle your bag. Even though the ticket counter sees your golf bag as a normal bag, the folks actually handling your bag after the ticket counter see it as oversize or special handling. Which means it takes more time for them to get the bag to your airplane because they actually handle your bag (not the big conveyer belts). In some cases, after you check in at the counter and get your baggage tag, you will have to walk your bag over to an Oversize Luggage counter or actually take it to a special TSA screening area for oversize or special handling items. If you have to wait in line at the ticket counter AND then do this, you may find you have to wait in another line BEFORE you go wait in the security line.
I use a soft sided bag with a reinforced bottom around the wheels and a padded top. I have stiff arm and wrap two towels around my clubs. I put two pairs of shoes, and 4 sleeves of balls in my bag along with the normal things that are in my golf bag. I lock the bag with zip ties. Yes, I know you can used TSA Approved locks but trust me on this (personal experience with 7 different TSA pre-approved locks) the TSA agents don't always have the right key set with them, or don't want to be bothered and will cut off the lock if they inspect it. Zip ties are easy and protect the bag as much as any lock would and don't "piss off" the TSA agents.
I have never had a club break and that was even after watching two idiots from Delta Airline TOSS my golf bag across the tarmac. I've only had two travel covers in all that time (again, Delta OEM Kevin'd one last year). With the exception of it normally being opened by TSA, they always arrive OK.
BTW, a nice little thing I do for TSA to make sure they re-wrap my clubs in the towels, is I tape a note thanking them for their work, politely asking them to re-pack my bag as they found it, and tape a piece of Dove chocolate to the note. The clubs are always re-wrapped and I've gotten nice notes written back thanking me for the chocolate.
If you are making a connection, arrive at the gate where you are connecting about 30 minutes before you board because this is when baggage from connecting flights gets loaded. I find a window where I see the bags being loaded and watch for my golf bag. Oversize bags are typically the last bags loaded with exception of "gate checked" bags. If you don't see your golf clubs go on the plane, you still have time to alert the counter person (I have had my clubs not be put on, alerted the counter person, and had them find and get my clubs onto the plane by watching what goes on. It saved my long weekend in N. Michigan from being golfless because I was going to Pellston, MI and my clubs were going to Peoria, IL).
Once you arrive at your destination, expect your bags to either be at the baggage claim where the regular bags are or at an Oversize Baggage claim area. I always open my golf bag AT the airport and inspect the clubs. It is much easier to make a claim, if you have to, AT the airport than it is to get to your destination and then have to file the claim. Sometimes, you have to go BACK to the airport to file the claim.
In all the years I've been flying with my clubs, I've only filed one claim and it was last year for the Delta mangling of my travel cover.
See you and your clubs at PGA National!!
Hanks
On the Fringe
also be sure to have a cocktail or 2 on the flight as well
- Staff
- #5,042
most important part!
MaryC
Lady of Leisure
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- Greater Atlanta Area
- Handicap
- Back9 Beer
Why I always fly First Class...so I can be soused for free by the time I land:dazed:
pattyblind9golf
New member
Thanks Mary - awesome post! I really appreciate it.
lmao. This year there will be no OEM Kevin'ing my travel bag. Its a big huge hard side one that Southwest will probably tell me is too big. Que the Michael Scott jokes!
pattyblind9golf
New member
Oh and if anyone is in the market for a Stiff Arm from Club Glove, we have a bunch in stock - not on the site. PM me for a better deal. We'll be putting one each in our bags as well. I'll remember to wrap the clubs too.
We'll be putting one each in our bags as well. I'll remember to wrap the clubs too.
One-T
Skimming since Nov 2009
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hey Patty, I tried to reply to your PM but your inbox was full
Chunkylover77
Proud JakeNation Member
Thats what she said.
RxGus
Argyle Warrior
CG13
DONT carry your ST head with you as carry on. When I flew to Georgia I had no trouble with it, but coming back the people in a Atlanta airport shat a brick and nearly confiscated the driver head. Pack it in a pocket of your golf bag or even in your second checked bag. That was the only time I ever had trouble but it only takes one time before you are buying a new driver...
DONT carry your ST head with you as carry on. When I flew to Georgia I had no trouble with it, but coming back the people in a Atlanta airport shat a brick and nearly confiscated the driver head. Pack it in a pocket of your golf bag or even in your second checked bag. That was the only time I ever had trouble but it only takes one time before you are buying a new driver...
