Ship Sticks

[swgolf21]

Traveling up to NYC for an annual trip, last year Jet Blue lost my bag / someone stole it blah blah blah, they never found them.

 

Has anyone used ship sticks? Just wanted to learn more about how the process works. 

 

Thanks, 

SW

[GolfJunkie302]

Have not used Ship Sticks but have done some research. Seems like a great option. A bit pricey, but gets your clubs to their destination safely. Sorry to hear that your clubs got lost!

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[TBT]

Haven't used ship sticks, but I did use the Fedex option a year and a half ago, was going on a business trip to Indiana and wanted to play the Brickyard Crossing Course while I was there, shipped my clubs in my regular travel bag direct to the course.

 

It was $48 bucks each way and they were shitting there waiting on me when I got to the course and arrived at my door the day after I got back from my trip.

[gaussman1]

I have for Bandon trips. It's pricey but very easy. Only downside is you need to be without your clubs about 3-4 days on each side of the trip for the cost not to be crazy

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[TWar]

Used ship sticks for the first time at the first of June.  Fairly easy but gaussman is right, plan on not having your clubs 4 days before and after unless you want to pay more.  For me, having a 2yo and 4yo with car seats as well as bags for a week long vacation, it was well worth shipping to destination.  I travel for work and bring my clubs with me and don't ship them if its just me.  I also fly Southwest where my clubs are free. 

[swgolf21]

Thanks all, it does seem a little pricey but probably worth actually getting the clubs there. 

 

Appreciate the help. 

[HDIr0n]

Used ship sticks for the first time at the first of June.  Fairly easy but gaussman is right, plan on not having your clubs 4 days before and after unless you want to pay more.  For me, having a 2yo and 4yo with car seats as well as bags for a week long vacation, it was well worth shipping to destination.  I travel for work and bring my clubs with me and don't ship them if its just me.  I also fly Southwest where my clubs are free. 

 

Clubs are free on SW?

[DeacLaw05]

I recently used Ship Sticks for the first time. I sent my clubs out to Colorado to play in a member-guest. I had scheduled delivery on the day I was going to arrive, with a practice round scheduled for the next morning. As I was about to board my flight to Denver, I got a call from a Ship Sticks rep that there had been a foul up with the delivery and that my clubs hadn't yet been dropped off at the Club we were playing (and wouldn't be delivered until sometime the next day). I told him I was supposed to play the next morning and that I was getting on a plane. He told me he would see what he could do and would call me back. By the time I landed in Denver I had a message that he had arranged for a courier to track down my clubs and that they had already been delivered. They were waiting for me the next morning.

 

Long story short, outstanding customer service. I'll definitely be using them again.

[Peanut05]

I've always wondered how well this worked as well.  I've thought about using it before on some work trips, but haven't tried it yet.  

 

Haven't used ship sticks, but I did use the Fedex option a year and a half ago, was going on a business trip to Indiana and wanted to play the Brickyard Crossing Course while I was there, shipped my clubs in my regular travel bag direct to the course.

It was $48 bucks each way and they were shitting there waiting on me when I got to the course and arrived at my door the day after I got back from my trip.

 

As soon as my clubs start doing that, I'm buying a new set and getting rid of those.

[cksurfdude]

Used Ship Sticks for the first time earlier this Summer on a trip to the Carolinas. We were flying in and out of Myrtle but not staying there - so atypical of having a particular resort or hotel as your receiving / shipping destination.

 

What I did was use a UPS Store in Myrtle .. and it worked out great. We had a rental car and the store was in a convenient location just off Business 17.

 

The cost worked out to about the same, maybe just a few dollars more, vs. paying for the bag on the Spirit Air flight (everything is a + charge on top of the base fare).

 

Before the trip I stopped in a UPS Store near me and for about $28 bucks got a 48x12x12 box and a roll of bubble wrap. I put some foam pipe wrap on the shafts, some extra towels around the top of the bag and the clubheads, a Stiff Arm in the middle of the bag .. and then wound the roll of bubble wrap around the whole thing, top to bottom, and shoved it in the box.

 

Found I had some extra room - and was still a few pounds under the limit - so threw in our shoes, some golf balls and some other odds and ends.

 

Then used a lot of packing tape .. plus extra along all the corners and edges.

 

The box arrived in Myrtle at the promised date and time; the only "extra" was a $10 storage fee charged by the UPS Store there. But well worth it as I'd pulled the rental car to the curb right in front, so didn't have to roll my bag 5 miles through an airport and out to the rental car pickup!

 

Anyway, the box appeared to be no worse for wear; just some minor scuff marks. After unpacking all the clubs appeared to be fine.

 

On the return trip, I repeated the packing up process, taped on my return shipping label .. oh: you print out two shipping labels (outbound, return) at home .. drove by that UPS Store again and dropped it off. Again, much easier than dragging it from the rental car drop-off to flight check-in.

 

As someone mentioned the only downside is not having your clubs for 2-3 days on both ends of your trip. You can pay extra for rush/premium service, if desired, BUT... I suspect a lot of guys in this forum .. and especially ones who bring their own clubs when they travel .. have an extra set (or two...) at home they can use!

 

Oh,PS:

Forgot to mention -- the Ship Sticks rate is a negotiated bulk rate and cheaper than you could get by walking into a UPS or FedEx store on your own.

[Kenny B]

I looked into shipping my clubs to Phoenix next month but round trip is $110.  I can travel on Delta with my clubs for free as lifetime Gold Medallion.  I have traveled for 20 years with my clubs on Delta and never had a problem.  TSA will completely reorganize the clubs in the bag for me, but nothing is damaged.  I suppose it could happen one day, but it doesn't take very many $110 trips before I have bought new clubs anyway.

[cksurfdude]

....

TSA will completely reorganize the clubs in the bag for me, but nothing is damaged.

....

 

Yeah, had that happen to me, too - except on one leg the bag was left half open and the TSA lock was missing..... :-(

 

KennyB - if you fly often enough, may be worth investing in a hard-sided travel case?

[Kenny B]

Yeah, had that happen to me, too - except on one leg the bag was left half open and the TSA lock was missing..... :-(

 

KennyB - if you fly often enough, may be worth investing in a hard-sided travel case?

I have used the same Club Glove Last Bag for the last 15 years.  I like it because it folds up when empty for storage and it fits in my trunk easier than a hard sided bag.  Remember, I have to have TWO travel bags!!  And No, the other isn't my wife!!  Yes, the other is for my wife's clubs.

[Hula Rock]

use them all the time....  WILL NOT use anything else.

[sixcat]

I have not used Ship Sticks but I have used UPS several times without issue.  My local UPS Store has specifically sized packaging so it's a very simple process.  When I get to my destination, my clubs have always been waiting on me at the hotel/resort.

[Kegger]

The times I have looked to use Ship Sticks the price has been ridiculous. Their commercials always say "starting at $39 each way" but I have never found a rate that cheap. Most recently, I looked at Ship Sticks for San Jose to San Diego (It would be hard to find a shorter trip to send your clubs on) and the prices still ranged from $60-$130 each way depending on the type of shipping. I decided that my money was better spent on a Club Glove Last Bag and to just use the free, or minimal fee for a second bag, option for golf clubs on airlines.

 

As for hard-sided cases, they aren't worth the hassle once you get to your destination and have to find a way to cram it into a rental car. I borrowed one from a friend the first time I traveled with clubs to Hawaii, will never use a hard-sided case again. Just get a good soft-case, get a stiff-arm, and pad the hell out of the club heads (I also remove the driver head and put it in a pocket since it is easily removable).

[cksurfdude]

...

...I also remove the driver head and put it in a pocket since it is easily removable

...

 

Ding-Ding-Ding!

(proverbial lightbulb just flashed on in my head)

 

Of course! So simple and easy, and makes packing and padding the bag sooo much easier! THANKS!!!!

[kejoal11]

I travel a bit and have used ship sticks once. Process was smooth and everything went fine, But as others have mentioned I use a travel bag since I get free bags for having status.  I use the sun mountain tour club glider with a stiff arm and i pad the heck out of it.  Love the club glider bag as it makes it very easy to transport the bag through the airport and the bag folds for storage. 

[djahubes]

Use them all the time, no issues, clubs always where they need to be at the right time

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[KevinE]

Never used Ship Sticks...but know of plenty of horror stories, about airlines losing golf clubs. Happened to my son on a Myrtle Trip, Didn't get his clubs to a day after he arrived. Was not a happy camper. I would definitely give ship sticks a try.