Do you remove adjustable heads for airline travel?

myspinonit

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I responded today in the older thread asking about travel bags (I'm using Sun Mountain Glider models which are great).

Several folks mentioned in that thread about removing adjustable heads and putting them in carry-on; not the first time I've heard that.

I've got three such clubheads. Have never done that before.

Since I'm leaving on a trip this weekend, and I have a great travel bag and Club Glove Stiff Arm, it got me thinking whether it is worth it for the extra :

- time wrapping them (in headcovers, probably large ziploks?)
-space and weight taken in the carry-on (that will be probably jostled before and after check in).
My carry-on is a bag that will not otherwise be tightly packed, (at least outbound before shopping!), mostly electronics, Rengefinder, glasses, prescriptions etc. So there will be some "jostling" , no matter how well I pad them.

So....do you do this? Do you do anything special to protect the tips of the shafts with the heads off?

How do you wrap the "severed" heads? I'm thinking inside the headcovers (mine are extra padded Rose & Fire) and further protected in separate ziplok freezer bags.

Edit: After many helpful posts, I'm going to remove the heads...see post 39.
 
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I have a Stiff Arm/Backbone and I take the heads off of my driver and 3w. I just put them in the head covers and stash them in a pocket of the bag. The shafts go in tip down. The jostling with your carry-on is up to you; I understand that you might have to smack some strangers with it. :bulgy-eyes: Don't forget that clubheads are designed to hit the ball at ~100mph so a little bumping inside a headcover won't harm anything.

I've flown with my clubs 5-6 times and haven't had any issues.
 
I just pop the heads, put them in their headcover and store them in a pocket on the bag. As far as the shafts, I pad the top of the bag as best I can in case it does fall head first and then just hope for the best. Nothing broken yet!
 
I use a stiff arm, sometimes I’ll take the headcovers off and put them in my carryone depends on the airline


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I take the heads off of mine. I usually put them in the headcover and keep them in my carry on bag. I generally weave a towel around the iron heads just for a little extra padding and I've even stuffed a pillow in the top of my carry bag that's served dual purposes.
 
Same as these guys, pop then off and stick them in the headcover. Combined with the stiff arm I've never had a problem knock on wood.
 
I take off the heads, put them in their headcover, and place the headcover in the golf bag main pocket. Have heard too many stories of snapped shafts. Not taking the chance.
 
Yes yes yes yes. Wrap them in a towel and put in carry on. Tip up and a stiff arm in the bag still in transit.

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I have a Stiff Arm/Backbone and I take the heads off of my driver and 3w. I just put them in the head covers and stash them in a pocket of the bag. The shafts go in tip down. The jostling with your carry-on is up to you; I understand that you might have to smack some strangers with it. :bulgy-eyes: Don't forget that clubheads are designed to hit the ball at ~100mph so a little bumping inside a headcover won't harm anything.

I've flown with my clubs 5-6 times and haven't had any issues.

Thanks. I should have added to my originnal post, that i had read that some folks put the shafts upside down.
But that I've never understood the advantages of that. I figure the shaft will be better balanced/supported with the grip end at the bottom. Plus I'd not want any grit/dirt/dust from the vbottom of the bag to get into the screw threads.
Am I missing something?

Also, my perception is that padding is less at the sides of travel bags (more on front and top), mine included. However my travelbags do allow for shoes to go in side pockets, that can give additional protection presumably.
 
I usually do remove the heads but this last trip I bought a stiff arm and had no issues.
 
I take the heads off of mine. I usually put them in the headcover and keep them in my carry on bag. I generally weave a towel around the iron heads just for a little extra padding and I've even stuffed a pillow in the top of my carry bag that's served dual purposes.

Ha... there's the transport solved maybe for my travel version of the my Pillow that I've never used.
 
I have a Stiff Arm/Backbone and I take the heads off of my driver and 3w. I just put them in the head covers and stash them in a pocket of the bag. The shafts go in tip down. The jostling with your carry-on is up to you; I understand that you might have to smack some strangers with it. :bulgy-eyes: Don't forget that clubheads are designed to hit the ball at ~100mph so a little bumping inside a headcover won't harm anything.

I've flown with my clubs 5-6 times and haven't had any issues.

This is pretty much my routine as well. I do wrap the tip and tape it up. I put the head back in the head cover and stash it in the main pocket between parts of my rain suit. That provides added protection. I've never had a problem Flying even though my travel bag is soft sided.
 
I have only flown once with my clubs, and I purchased a travel bag that had a hard top around the club heads and soft everywhere else. I used a stiff arm, and just wrapped some shirts around the clubs and everything went well.
 
I guess I'm in the minority here, but I fly 100k+ miles per year with my clubs. I've never pulled the heads, I've never used a travel bag that cost more than $60, and I've never used a stiff arm. I've had ZERO damage, ZERO Loss, ZERO Delay, ZERO Issue. - I regularly check at least $5000 worth of putters as well.

I can't remember the last time I've opened my bag and NOT found a TSA inspection slip - but every time it has been repacked just as I packed it myself. Most of the time, they'll even replace the towel I weave in and out of my irons to keep them from banging around.

People argue that I am lucky, but with the amount of travel I do, it's not luck. I say just trust that your clubs will arrive safely (they will.) And if they don't, the airline will help you out.
 
My heads come off and go in their headcovers. These get places in the large zipper pocket of my carry bag. The shaft tips get a putter head cover. All the heads get wrapped in a towel. I’ve done this exact thing for years
 
The last time I traveled I left them on but I made sure the top of my golf bag was padded and firm enough. The Clubglider is a pretty heavy padding at the top and I have a large plush stuffed headcover (grateful dead bear) that took up enough space in the top of my case that I was comfortable that things wouldn't rattle around or get crushed. Maybe I should have taken the heads off and stored them elsewhere but then I would have felt there was more room in the top of my bag for items to move around and potentially be damaged.
 
Heads off in the pocket and a crappy long shaft to take the beating just in case.
 
The last time I traveled I left them on but I made sure the top of my golf bag was padded and firm enough. The Clubglider is a pretty heavy padding at the top and I have a large plush stuffed headcover (grateful dead bear) that took up enough space in the top of my case that I was comfortable that things wouldn't rattle around or get crushed. Maybe I should have taken the heads off and stored them elsewhere but then I would have felt there was more room in the top of my bag for items to move around and potentially be damaged.

Yes, that’s always been more my thinking with the Clubglider.

I usually use the Meridian and stuff a lumber roll pad on the top for extra tight padded fit. This time I’m going on a buddy trip, taking my slightly smaller Traverse bag and my wife’s ClubGlider Journey. The travel size “My Pillow(s)” that I referenced in another post could be the perfect add-in to this padded bag with the heads on and stiff arm.
 
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Yes, I do. The club heads go in their respective covers, which go in a carry on. I still use a Stiff Arm in the bag. That may be a little overkill but I know the sticks will be safe. (I also insure everything, just in case)
 
Absolutely. I just put the driver head in the head cover and keep it below the Club Glove stiff arm. Better safe than sorry!
 
Heads off (driver and fairway wood), put into their headcovers and they go into the longest pocket in my bag along with my rain gear. Shafts are tips down in the bag. Put the Stiff Arm in the middle of the bag. Take towels that are normally hanging on my bag and use those to wraps all of my clubheads. Then the rain hood of my bag goes over the towels and the end of the Stiff Arm. I've done this for years and it has worked well.
 
I take the heads off and put them in the headcover before packing them in the middle of my clothing luggage.

Put the shafts in the bag tip side down (so grips coming out of the bag)

Put iron headcovers on

Wrap everything in towels/spare clothes and use a stiff arm.
 
I'm the same as most people replying here. Take off the heads and place in headcover and then put in pockey of my golf bag. I just usually turn the shaft upside and put it in the bag that way. Haven't had a problem yet.
 
I take off my driver and 3 wood heads, leave them in their stitch headcovers along with the tool and throw into my carry on. They take up little space but I know where they are so no chance of damage.
 
I just pop the heads, put them in their headcover and store them in a pocket on the bag. As far as the shafts, I pad the top of the bag as best I can in case it does fall head first and then just hope for the best. Nothing broken yet!

I do the same thing. I wrap a golf towel around the shaft tips to make sure nothing stupid happens to them but TSA always messes it up anyways
 
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