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Traveling to Maui - rent clubs or ship mine?

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InHartWeTrust

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So I am going traveling Columbus > Napa (2 days) > Sonoma (2 days) > Maui (1 week) starting next week, and I am looking to play Kapalua Plantation course while in Maui. I have a Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian for transporting my sticks traditionally, but considering I am stopping in Cali for 4 days (coming from Ohio) before heading to Maui, I am guessing checking the clubs with the airlines is going to be quite expensive. Looking at ShipSticks they want $150+ to ship it...EACH WAY! So that is obviously a no go at well over $300+ total after insurance, taxes, etc. Thus, I'm at a loss on what to do....

So...my question is, have you guys played with rental clubs before? If so, what were your thoughts/experiences? At a glance I feel like it will ruin the experience for me...I want to see what I shoot at a PGA caliber course like that with my sticks, not some rentals. That said, $325 for greens fees + $45 for my fiance to ride with me, I'm thinking the $75 rental fee might be worth it (versus the $300+ ShipSticks option).

Thoughts? :bulgy-eyes:
 
Why would checking the clubs be that expensive?
Depending on airline or seat, you either get one or two free or pay a small price to have them arrive.
Regular seats are up to 50 lbs, some first class is up to 75 lbs.

You said you want to play a PGA Caliber course and if this is your sole chance, why would you not just bring your clubs?
 
At those courses they are going to most likely be near brand new high end clubs. Assuming you don't have clubs that are fitted way different than standard it would just be a math issue for me. Which ends up being cheaper? Last time I flew it was only $25 each way for me but I stuffed my clothes in the golf bag and had that as my only checked item. Not sure about Hawaii but I imagine the airlines will be cheaper than shipsticks.
 
I took clubs to Maui and transportation was free on Delta.
 
Granted this was back in 2004, but I brought my clubs with me to Honolulu and it was free of charge.
 
Just get one of those hard case club travel bags. And bring em with you. Dont ship them with shipsticks.
 
InHartWeTrust said:
So I am going traveling Columbus > Napa (2 days) > Sonoma (2 days) > Maui (1 week) starting next week, and I am looking to play Kapalua Plantation course while in Maui. I have a Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian for transporting my sticks traditionally, but considering I am stopping in Cali for 4 days (coming from Ohio) before heading to Maui, I am guessing checking the clubs with the airlines is going to be quite expensive. Looking at ShipSticks they want $150+ to ship it...EACH WAY! So that is obviously a no go at well over $300+ total after insurance, taxes, etc. Thus, I'm at a loss on what to do....

So...my question is, have you guys played with rental clubs before? If so, what were your thoughts/experiences? At a glance I feel like it will ruin the experience for me...I want to see what I shoot at a PGA caliber course like that with my sticks, not some rentals. That said, $325 for greens fees + $45 for my fiance to ride with me, I'm thinking the $75 rental fee might be worth it (versus the $300+ ShipSticks option).

Thoughts? :bulgy-eyes:
Click to expand...

If you're not going to be playing golf in California, just ship the clubs back and forth to Hawaii. I know that you're hesitant to do that with the ShipSticks cost, but you're not going to want to be dragging your clubs around in California unless you're playing golf out there. Plus, not having the golf bag in California allows you to be more flexible with car rental and other things. Plus with shipping the clubs out there and back, you don't have to worry about dragging them through the airports.

This is coming from someone that flies with his clubs on basically any trip that I go on, but in your situation, enjoy wine country and send your sticks to Hawaii. At your swing speed, if you play with rentals, you're going to be wondering what will happen on every swing.
 
I'd take them, before we bought a condo there I would bring them with me every year and never had an issue. As others have said there may/may not be a charge based on your status/seat.
 
I would bring the clubs, especially playing nice courses like that. Some airlines provide a small fee for the sticks remember last time I went think it cost me 50 bones


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Do have co branded cc with delta, Hawaiian or AA ? If so those clubs fly for free, if under 50 lbs. I pack my hard case with my clubs and clothes and it comes in at 47 lbs. If you don't have co branded card then its $25-50 depending on airline. Rental clubs are $50 I do believe at kapalua. While it's a hassle, it's worth it to bring your sticks.
Btw Ship Sticks is not an option. $250 RT to LA for clubs alone. Once again shipping something over water is very expensive for some odd reason.
Good luck and Maui No Ka Oi.

Almost forgot. Give jimmy a call at (808)283-3317 at Jimmy golf club rentals. Carry all types of clubs. $25-50 per day or $100 week +
Btw. Good timing. Kapalua just aerated last week. I'm heading to maui in week for golf. Lmk.
 
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I always take my clubs when I travel and play golf. The baggage fee is a lot cheaper than the rental prices, especially when you play 3 or 4 rounds.
The last time I played at Kapalua they had nearly new Callaway rentals, but in my opinion, it's well worth bringing your own sticks.
 
Take your clubs. I'm gonna guess that you don't get to do this very often :D. You know your swing and clubs but you don't know the course. You obviously want to have a good time and make memories right? For the cost of taking your clubs, you can eliminate the wondering if you would have played better with your own clubs, or the 17 holes it takes to get used to the rentals :D. Take yours........

JM
 
Have ship sticks ship them one way to arrive at your hotel your last day in Napa for about $40 and then check them round trip to Hawaii and back to Ohio for about $50 total on the airline.
 
tahoebum said:
Have ship sticks ship them one way to arrive at your hotel your last day in Napa for about $40 and then check them round trip to Hawaii and back to Ohio for about $50 total on the airline.
Click to expand...

Yup. This. Nailed it.

Kapalua is awesome, played there on my honeymoon. Enjoy it.
 
If you're just playing once, I'd rent. That's what I did when I went to HI, and shot one of my lower rounds with the set of rentals they gave me at Mauna Kea.
 
I flew to the Big Island last Nov flying first class and my clubs were free. The great thing about the golf carriers is you can pile all the stuff you buy in there on the way home just keep it under 50 lbs.
 
If you really feel like it would take away from the experience by not using your own clubs, I would figure out the cheapest way to get them there. Like mentioned above, Shipsticks to CA and then check them to Hawaii.

It's not a course you have many chances to play, so make the most enjoyable experience out of it you can.
 
Played kapalua a couple of months ago and the rental clubs were pristine top of the line clubs. I brought my own, but I didn't have the extra steps you are going through.


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JB said:
Why would checking the clubs be that expensive?
Depending on airline or seat, you either get one or two free or pay a small price to have them arrive.
Regular seats are up to 50 lbs, some first class is up to 75 lbs.

You said you want to play a PGA Caliber course and if this is your sole chance, why would you not just bring your clubs?
Click to expand...

I can't remember the last time I paid to check any bags but the airlines I'm flying for these flights I will have to -- so I honestly have no idea how much it will cost to check them. Perhaps I overestimated what they will charge.

This won't be my sole chance to play a PGA caliber course, which is why there is a decision to make...would I or would I not care after the fact that I played it without my own clubs. Hence a thread to ask people what their experience has been to help inform my decision. That said, when you're paying $325 to play plus $45 for my fiance to ride along, you take the round a touch more seriously than other rounds I've played -- even my prior rounds at Muirfield, Firestone, Scioto, various TPC courses, etc.; none of them have cost me upwards of $500 to play (including transport costs for the sticks). Compound that with the fact I will likely never go back to Maui because I'd rather travel internationally than see the same place twice, this is the only round I'll get at Kapalua in this life.

In the end, I decided to use ShipSticks to ship them to Sonoma for $75, and I will pay to check them to and from Maui. Shoutout to tahoebum for that idea, not sure why I never thought of that in the first place.
 
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