Travel Bag Suggestions (and more)

[Ronoc]

Just got notice that work will be taking us down to Florida for a multi-day meeting which will include a day of golf as an option. This is my first big trip that will include a golf outing and will be the beginning of other trips to come that I can bring my clubs along. I took a look at last year's MGS Travel Bag reviews but wanted to see if anyone else has any suggestions, reviews, dos/dont's when it comes to picking out a bag. A family member suggested to only get a hard cover to give max protection but when I search for options I see mostly soft bags.

I know travel bags are pricey but when it comes to protecting equipment that isn't cheap either, it's worth it in the end. The last thing I want to do is settle for a cheap option and regret it later on. Rather invest now for something that will last and will also protect my clubs as well.

Looking forward to some feedback!

 

 

Edited February 13, 2019 by Ronoc

[null]

If you end up going with a soft bag, make sure you get a Club Glove Stiff Arm to put in the bag.  I have traveled 3 times with my clubs with a soft travel bag and used the Stiff Arm every time (I also unscrewed all my adjustable clubs, removed the heads and packed them in my carry-on)

Edit:  Here is the soft travel bag I have. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P9IA0C/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wheels work great, plenty of storage and gave me no issues each time I traveled.

[DaveP043]

I've had a ClubGlove for 5 or 6 years, and its great, I've never had an issue.  I do use their StiffArm, and I take the head off of my driver.  I'm 63 now, I'll be surprised if I ever need a replacement travel cover.   I wouldn't choose a hard case, primarily because of the space they take.  Its really tough to fit them into the trunk of a rental car.  Additionally, I've seen hard cases get the hinges sprung or bent so they won't close any more, but I couldn't tell you if those were good ones or cheap ones.

[THEZIPR23]

I have had a club glove for almost 15 years. Don't travel with clubs lot but it works great and the stiff arm is a must. 

[Kenny B]

I used to travel a lot for work, many 2-weekers.  Depending on where I went and who I was traveling with, I always took my clubs.  I have had the ClubGlove for at least 15 years, and I have never had an issue (maybe 100 trips).  It does show wear; a few small holes in the fabric near the base, but still serviceable.  I have never used a Stiff Arm.  If something happened, I probably needed a new club anyway.  

I traveled with a friend that had a hard sided case.  It was always difficult to travel with in rental cars.  It never fit in a trunk, so it had to go in the back seat.  Yes, many cars these days have back seats that fold down, but not 10-15 years ago.  Even today with the back seats down, I am not sure that a hard sided bag would fit in the trunk since it doesn't bend.  The ClubGlove is just flexible enough to enter from the trunk. 

You can't go wrong with a ClubGlove.  It truly will be The Last Bag.

[Titan107]

I just purchased a Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian and love it.  I have taken two trips (one to AZ and one to FL) with it and couldn't be happier.  I had a Samsonite soft side and it served the purpose but certainly not as well as the Clubglider.  It is so much easier maneuvering around the airport than the Samsonite.  It is on the pricey side but if it will last (and the reviews say it should) I wouldn't consider another travel bag.  I do use a stiff arm just as extra protection.  My buddy has a hard travel case and that thing is hard to handle and store.  It does a great job protecting clubs but is just a bear to handle and store.  

Hope your search goes well.

[Wedgie]

Member TSauer is offering a travel bag for a great cause. I’m mobile and can’t link in the thread but might be worth trying to find it.


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[MattF]

I also have a CaddyDaddy and can't recommend it enough. Here's the one that I have https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OK866Y/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and as others have said, get a stiff arm for it as well. Also, if you can't remove the heads from your woods, wrap a towel around them.

[juspoole]

I've got one very similar to the caddydaddy's and i have not had any issues with it.  I also unscrew any heads that i can and I also place all my clubs near the middle of the bag to keep them further from the perimeter.  Lastly I will interweave towels through the shafts while they are already in bag so that they are not continually hitting each other.  Sometimes, I'll do another towel over everything for more padding just to be safe.  

[McGolf]

I'm a sun mountain fan. We started with them from the very beginning, The tour model with the rolling leg stand makes for a super easy travel across the airport as well as to and from the car to hotel. I've been overseas twice and to Florida on several occasions without a mishap. It will store the bag, shoes and the outer wear with ease

[Golfspy_CG2]

As many have recommended the ClubGlove Last Bag and Sun Mountain CkubGlider....they are the two gold standards.  

I have owned both.  The ClubGlove was very good no issues at all.   But I was intriqued by the rolling stand of the ClubGlider.  It had been everything I hoped for. 

Both can be a very tight fit for anything larger than a standard stand bag.   So hopefully you aren't planning on packing or taking down a cart bag.   If so the CpubGlove may be the better option.  It has slightly larger but not by much interior room.

The stiff arm never hurts.  But with removable heads as others have mentioned.  I've never bothered with one and have never had an issue. But it's a pretty cheap insurance policy. 

 

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Both can be a very tight fit for anything larger than a standard stand bag.   So hopefully you aren't planning on packing or taking down a cart bag.   If so the CpubGlove may be the better option.  It has slightly larger but not by much interior room.

The choice of which travel bag to get does depend on what golf bag you plan to travel with.  My travel bag is the smaller ClubGlove, what is now called the Last Bag Collegiate, and I travel with a 4-year old Ping Hoofer.  I have enough room for the bag, including clubs and umbrella, 2 pairs of shoes (in interior pockets in the ClubGlove, rain gear and outerwear.  Even though this is the smallest of the ClubGlove bags, I run right up to the 50-pound limit for any single bag.  

If you have a bag much larger than my Hoofer, you may need the next size larger ClubGlove.  No matter what you get, another good investment is a small luggage scale, to make sure your bags stay within the weight limit.  We use something like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Travelon-Luggage-Scale-Black-Size/dp/B001CZP22S/ref=lp_2477391011_1_12?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1550327973&sr=1-12&nodeID=2477391011&psd=1

We toss it in the bag, so we can do the same thing when we're ready to come home.

 

[hckymeyer]

I've only traveled with clubs a few times, but I also went with the Club Glove Last Bag, it worked great and I expect it to pretty much last forever.  I also have a Srixon travel bag that is very nice, no complaints there either.  I got it as part of the Cleveland fit like a pro trip a couple years ago.

The scale to weigh the bag before travel is a great idea, but as an alternative if you already own a regular bathroom scale it works just fine to weigh yourself, then hold the bag and weigh yourself again.  Do a little math and save a few bucks.

From doing the research last time I was in the market here is the big dilemma you need to decide first.  Hard sided vs soft sided.

Soft sided - easier to travel with, easier to store when not in use, potentially not as protective, most airlines won't honor any insurance claim (I would recommend checking in to some sort of travel insurance if this is a huge concern or check if your homeowners will cover it)

Hard sided - potentially offers more protection, airlines potentially would still cover club damage through an insurance claim, but harder to travel with though and fit in vehicles, takes up a lot more space when trying to store it.

The last option to consider is using a service like Ship Sticks.  I've never used them myself, but I've heard good things about them.  A little more expensive but zero hassle of hauling everything yourself.

[MGoBlue100]

I also have a CaddyDaddy and can't recommend it enough. Here's the one that I have https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OK866Y/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and as others have said, get a stiff arm for it as well. Also, if you can't remove the heads from your woods, wrap a towel around them.

I used Club Glove for YEARS, and recently (2 yrs) switched to Caddy Daddy to achieve a little more room. I think all the soft sided bags noted here are good. If you’re not going to travel 20+ times a year, Club Glove is kind of pricey, TBH.
As others have noted: pull the club heads if you can. Woods are the most vulnerable. Store the shafts tip down in the bag. Wrap the loose club heads in towels, and place them inside your golf bag somewhere. Wrap other towels around the heads of the clubs, and then put your rain hood on the bag.
Stiff Arm is a MUST MUST MUST. I’ve had mine literally broken by the baggage monkeys, but my clubs survived.
TSA will probably rearrange and mess up your best laid plans, but you can only do what you can do.
Have fun!!


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[PMookie]

Caddy Daddy and a stiff arm. I have the Club Glove Collegiate as well, I won it, and it’s good, but the quality of the Caddy Daddy is almost identical.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[DaveP043]

20 minutes ago, hckymeyer said:

The scale to weigh the bag before travel is a great idea, but as an alternative if you already own a regular bathroom scale it works just fine to weigh yourself, then hold the bag and weigh yourself again.  Do a little math and save a few bucks.

The big reason to have the luggage scale is the ability to pack it and use it at the other end.  We often will put dirty clothes in our golf bags for the return trip, or buy some souvenirs, so its good to be able to balance the luggage load between bags.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Regardless of what you get I'd advise taking the heads off driver and 3 wood and putting them in their headcovers to protect them. Not that I had any major issues when I travelled, but they did go through my bag at one point and didn't restrap the bag in so I can only guess how they got knocked around. I have a bag boy t100? Softer bag with very padded top end. Was very happy with it and did the trick. 

[Ronoc]

Really appreciate all the feedback from everyone - a major reason why I like coming here for help and insight.

GG is having a Presidents Day sale this weekend (spend X save Y) so I might go and make a purchase today. Perfect timing to use the gift card I got from Christmas! (So much fro using it for a new wedge haha)


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Ronoc]

So as planned, I went and got the Club Glove large bag. I was originally going to get the Sun Mountain Meridian travel bag but apparently Sun Mountain is one of those brands exempt from discounts at GG. So with the savings in mind I went with the ClubGlove.
Tested it out earlier today with my bag, Callaway ORG 14, and was VERY happy. Great fit and the sit pockets seemed to be just enough to add some extras. We’ll see what else I will stuff in there when it actually comes to traveling.


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Golfspy_CG2]

5 hours ago, Ronoc said:

So as planned, I went and got the Club Glove large bag. I was originally going to get the Sun Mountain Meridian travel bag but apparently Sun Mountain is one of those brands exempt from discounts at GG. So with the savings in mind I went with the ClubGlove.
Tested it out earlier today with my bag, Callaway ORG 14, and was VERY happy. Great fit and the sit pockets seemed to be just enough to add some extras. We’ll see what else I will stuff in there when it actually comes to traveling.


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Solid choice.  It'll last you a long time.  

[MGoBlue100]

You can't go wrong with Club Glove for sure.  One other nice thing about CG is that their warranty is fantastic!  I've sent my bag back twice, and they are really good with repair & return.

[TR1PTIK]

Looks like the OP found a solution so hopefully I'm not thread-jacking. However, I find myself in a similar dilemma. I will be traveling for work this summer and want to take my clubs with me so I can play golf when time allows. Ship sticks is an option, but it does appear it would be cheaper and easier for me to get a travel case. 

I've  already started planning my trips and it looks like American Airlines will be the primary airline used. They require a hard case to be used if you want them to insure the clubs in case of damage (which I do).

What suggestions do you guys have for a hard-sided case? I saw a couple options on RBG that looked decent, but I really don't know much other than I still want/need to purchase a stiff arm as well.

[Golfspy_CG2]

On 5/14/2019 at 9:44 AM, TR1PTIK said:

Looks like the OP found a solution so hopefully I'm not thread-jacking. However, I find myself in a similar dilemma. I will be traveling for work this summer and want to take my clubs with me so I can play golf when time allows. Ship sticks is an option, but it does appear it would be cheaper and easier for me to get a travel case. 

I've  already started planning my trips and it looks like American Airlines will be the primary airline used. They require a hard case to be used if you want them to insure the clubs in case of damage (which I do).

What suggestions do you guys have for a hard-sided case? I saw a couple options on RBG that looked decent, but I really don't know much other than I still want/need to purchase a stiff arm as well.

Personally I would avoid a hard case at all cost. Insurance be damned.  They are a royal pain in the A$$ in rental cars unless you have a Chevy Suburban like SUV.  

Also they take up a lot more storage room at home ALL YEAR.   The others fold up nicely for storage. 

Really any of the quality club glove or sun mountain bags will protect them fine. Almost 20 years traveling with them and not one issue. 

For added piece of mind take your driver and three wood heads off and store them wrapped in a towel in the bag pocket. 

Pro tip: take a picture of the hosel settings before you do so you'll remember what you had it set on. 

Just my personal thoughts.  But to me there is one reason to ever have to get a hard case.  

 

 

 

[TR1PTIK]

28 minutes ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Personally I would avoid a hard case at all cost. Insurance be damned.  They are a royal pain in the A$$ in rental cars unless you have a Chevy Suburban like SUV.  

Also they take up a lot more storage room at home ALL YEAR.   The others fold up nicely for storage. 

Really any of the quality club glove or sun mountain bags will protect them fine. Almost 20 years traveling with them and not one issue. 

For added piece of mind take your driver and three wood heads off and store them wrapped in a towel in the bag pocket. 

Pro tip: take a picture of the hosel settings before you do so you'll remember what you had it set on. 

Just my personal thoughts.  But to me there is one reason to ever have to get a hard case.  

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice. After doing a little more research and cost analysis, I think I've settled on just using Ship Sticks. They appear to have a ton of great reviews and the process seems like it couldn't be much easier or cost effective for my particular need. If I do find that I have to start traveling more frequently or to destinations further away, I will certainly consider the recommendations you've mentioned above. 

[Ronoc]

Personally I would avoid a hard case at all cost. Insurance be damned.  They are a royal pain in the A$$ in rental cars unless you have a Chevy Suburban like SUV.  
Also they take up a lot more storage room at home ALL YEAR.   The others fold up nicely for storage. 
Really any of the quality club glove or sun mountain bags will protect them fine. Almost 20 years traveling with them and not one issue. 
For added piece of mind take your driver and three wood heads off and store them wrapped in a towel in the bag pocket. 
Pro tip: take a picture of the hosel settings before you do so you'll remember what you had it set on. 
Just my personal thoughts.  But to me there is one reason to ever have to get a hard case.  
 
 
 

Totally agree with the comments about storage. I think this is even more of a difference if you are in a hotel room for a few days and keep your clubs with you. I was able to unpack my bag and fold it in half and stuff it out of sight for a few days.

I just got back from my first trip using my Club Glove bag and was VERY happy with my choice. I flew Southwest and was not charged for the bag. They did make a comment (only the flight leaving) about not being insured since it was a soft case. I took off the heads to my driver and 3/4 wood a suggested and used a Stiff Arm for extra protection.

Plenty of space to put my shoes in the side pocket and stuff in some extra towels, rain jacket, and plenty of balls. Put some laundry in it for the trip home.

Can’t recommend this bag enough!



Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Golfspy_CG2]

42 minutes ago, Ronoc said:

 

Totally agree with the comments about storage. I think this is even more of a difference if you are in a hotel room for a few days and keep your clubs with you. I was able to unpack my bag and fold it in half and stuff it out of sight for a few days.

I just got back from my first trip using my Club Glove bag and was VERY happy with my choice. I flew Southwest and was not charged for the bag. They did make a comment (only the flight leaving) about not being insured since it was a soft case. I took off the heads to my driver and 3/4 wood a suggested and used a Stiff Arm for extra protection.

Plenty of space to put my shoes in the side pocket and stuff in some extra towels, rain jacket, and plenty of balls. Put some laundry in it for the trip home.

Can’t recommend this bag enough!



Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

Almost word for word what I do with mine.  They did make a nice dirty laundry bag don't they.  Ha

[perseveringgolfer]

6 hours ago, Ronoc said:

Plenty of space to put my shoes in the side pocket and stuff in some extra towels, rain jacket, and plenty of balls. Put some laundry in it for the trip home.
 

 

 

6 hours ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Almost word for word what I do with mine.  They did make a nice dirty laundry bag don't they.  Ha

+1 on a soft bag for storage and transport.

I also wrap laundry around the heads of the irons and top of the shafts, interweaving towels etc snake like. It ensures WHEN a baggage guy stands on the soft case the shafts and heads dont get damaged. Def take the driver head off and wrap well as CG2 says.