OT sorry. What is the best stiff arm for a travel bag?

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have a couple, but the top breaks and separates from the arm itself.

[Ian Mackenzie]

I have used the following:


1. Standard "Club Glove" pole. Had one for 5 years before it broke as you described.


2. Sawed off hockey stick with a big wad of tape at one end.


3. Sawed off ski pole with web intact, but sharp tip removed.


Or....Ship Sticks box...;-)

[Kevin_Reilly]

My tried and true method is:


1. Remove driver clubhead, stick it in headcover and put it in the travel bag (old Club Glove Burst Proof).
2. Put driver shaft in bag, tip first.
3. Pack my wife's travel pillow (she has trouble with hotel pillows) in the clubhead end of the travel bag. If traveling alone, use an airplane neck pillow instead.
4. Pray.
5. On return trip, add dirty laundry and whatever thrift store purchases wife made, plus aforementioned travel pillow, to top of bag.
6. Pray again.

[Kalen Braley]

I've never tried one,

But I would think a wooden dowel with a 2 inch diameter, cut to length, would do the trick  Seen em at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

[Steve_Roths]

I ordered this and wrap the clubheads in this before zipping up the bag:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ZPLP2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Steve_Roths]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ZPLP2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Tommy Williamsen]

These are great ideas that never crossed my mind. I do take the driver's head off the shaft.

[Ben Sims]

Do the math on what a rental car that will accommodate a hard case costs. Now that airlines have all changed their policy to only cover damages to clubs in hard cases, it seems the best way to go. The SKB has been great.

[Ben Stephens]

My tried and true method is:


1. Remove driver clubhead, stick it in headcover and put it in the travel bag (old Club Glove Burst Proof).
2. Put driver shaft in bag, tip first.
3. Pack my wife's travel pillow (she has trouble with hotel pillows) in the clubhead end of the travel bag. If traveling alone, use an airplane neck pillow instead.
4. Pray.
5. On return trip, add dirty laundry and whatever thrift store purchases wife made, plus aforementioned travel pillow, to top of bag.
6. Pray again.

Alongside 1 and 2 - I put the iron and putter club heads the wrong way down in the bag as the base gives more protection and the grips at the top with towel wrapped around it.

[DFarron]

My tried and true method is:


1. Remove driver clubhead, stick it in headcover and put it in the travel bag (old Club Glove Burst Proof).
2. Put driver shaft in bag, tip first.
3. Pack my wife's travel pillow (she has trouble with hotel pillows) in the clubhead end of the travel bag. If traveling alone, use an airplane neck pillow instead.
4. Pray.
5. On return trip, add dirty laundry and whatever thrift store purchases wife made, plus aforementioned travel pillow, to top of bag.
6. Pray again.

This is the best way and most cost efficient

[Wayne_Kozun]

Do the math on what a rental car that will accommodate a hard case costs. Now that airlines have all changed their policy to only cover damages to clubs in hard cases, it seems the best way to go. The SKB has been great.

This can be very tricky on a golf trip with the boys where you have four sets of golf clubs.  With my main group we all continue to use soft bags on our annual trip to Cabot Links in September and Florida in February.

[Paul Jones]

I always shove my dirty socks and underwear in a plastic shoe bag and use that for padding.... if TSA messes with my clubs, they will get the full power of my stinky-ness 

[David_Tepper]

Of course, an expertly packed golf travel bag offers no assurance the airline will deliver your bag on time and to the right airport.

[Jim Sherma]

I have an old Samsonite hard shell that the bag(s) sits in. Got it due to using a 50" broomstick putter and never had a issue with it. Found that it can fit two carry bags and clubs while keeping below the 50' limit as long as you don't have too much other stuff in the bags. With one bag there is a ton of space for other stuff. Did have to buy a TSA-compliant lock to secure the zippers.


It is a pain in the neck as far as small rental cars go as it will not sit across a trunk or back seat. Last used it with my son in Ireland and we flipped the back seats of the subcompact down and had no trouble travelling as a twosome. Larger vans or busses are no problem.

[Bernie Bell]

I've never had an issue with Club Glove.  Once you get where you're going, you can collapse it. 

[Craig Sweet]

A dead body?

[Tommy Williamsen]

I've had Club Glove for 25 years. I have had two drivers break. This is before heads were removable, though. I never thought of wrapping the top of the bag. Seems like an easy fix.

[Mark Smolens]

I always shove my dirty socks and underwear in a plastic shoe bag and use that for padding.... if TSA messes with my clubs, they will get the full power of my stinky-ness 

On a nine day trip to Scotland in '91 we got soaked on 2 of our last three days. I had nine days of dirty laundry shoved into my travel cover, and hadn't shaved for two weeks (so I profiled to be a ne'er do well). Sure enough customs in Canada pulled my bag to be checked. I'm sure the agent rued that decision when he opened the bag... it was disgusting for me, and I was standing 20' away.

[jeffwarne]

Do the math on what a rental car that will accommodate a hard case costs. Now that airlines have all changed their policy to only cover damages to clubs in hard cases, it seems the best way to go. The SKB has been great.

This can be very tricky on a golf trip with the boys where you have four sets of golf clubs.  With my main group we all continue to use soft bags on our annual trip to Cabot Links in September and Florida in February.

Soft bags only on a trip-pack properly as described.
The hard case is a rookie move on a 4 guy trip, regardless of car size unless you get a 9 passenger car, which comes with its own set of issues on tiny roads....
Although you can store them at your airport hotel if you're using one on arrival or departure.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Do the math on what a rental car that will accommodate a hard case costs. Now that airlines have all changed their policy to only cover damages to clubs in hard cases, it seems the best way to go. The SKB has been great.

This can be very tricky on a golf trip with the boys where you have four sets of golf clubs.  With my main group we all continue to use soft bags on our annual trip to Cabot Links in September and Florida in February.

Soft bags only on a trip-pack properly as described.
The hard case is a rookie move on a 4 guy trip, regardless of car size unless you get a 9 passenger car, which comes with its own set of issues on tiny roads....
Although you can store them at your airport hotel if you're using one on arrival or departure.

Have done that on a couple UK buddies trip as the cars over there are not conducive to travel bags of any kind in addition to luggage.  So we always stash the travel bag at the last hotel we are going to stay at near the airport.  In once case when we were not staying near there I went to a brand name chain that I stay at enough to have some status and gave the baggage guy a tip to hold them, which he gladly did.  Worth every penny to not be packing and unpacking a car that is ½ full with travel bags that are not needed for a week or more.


By the way just got the new SunMountain one with the extra wheels that pop out (looks just like a ClubGlove but the extra wheels seem like they will be a help). looking forward to breaking it in next month.

[Ben Sims]

Do the math on what a rental car that will accommodate a hard case costs. Now that airlines have all changed their policy to only cover damages to clubs in hard cases, it seems the best way to go. The SKB has been great.

This can be very tricky on a golf trip with the boys where you have four sets of golf clubs.  With my main group we all continue to use soft bags on our annual trip to Cabot Links in September and Florida in February.

Soft bags only on a trip-pack properly as described.
The hard case is a rookie move on a 4 guy trip, regardless of car size unless you get a 9 passenger car, which comes with its own set of issues on tiny roads....
Although you can store them at your airport hotel if you're using one on arrival or departure.

This years’ rental for the Scotland trip was a Ford diesel box van. I think it was 8 pax. For three guys. It was glorious and after my experience in the Rennault the year before, may never do it any other way. Cost per guy was pretty similar to what a mid-size SUV would’ve been. Didn’t really impact driving near as much as we thought it would, even on a Dornoch to Kintyre jaunt via a significant amount of single lane roads.


Bottom line, airlines don’t cover damage in soft cases. And they don’t cover damage period to someone on a non-revenue ticket such as myself.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Had two of my boys and our soft CG bags on an Ireland trip earlier this year and wouldn't have wanted any car bigger than the small SUV we rented.  On the country roads or in cities.  And I can't see myself ever taking the (presumably frustrating) effort to pursue a damage claim vs United or Aer Lingus for a broken driver shaft, if it happened. 


I'd never use a hard case for travel.  YMMV (it sounds like it has).

[Brian Walshe]

Clicgear Travel Shaft.  Heavier than a Club Glove Stiff Arm but much stronger.  Also has a Velcro strap near the top so the shaft on the driver and 3 wood stay close to the protective arm.

[jeffwarne]

Using a soft case(Club Glove).
1.Use a stiff arm
2.remove driver head(put in pocket of bag)
3. protect tip in driver shaft by carefully wrapping and turning upside down in bag.
4. wrap fairways heads, irons etc. in towels(you'll need 5-6 in case of rain)
5. wrap rain pants and jacket around irons/woods


Have never had a broken club from travel.
Ironically, the first time I took the head off the driver on a flight, a Titleist 913(which had a very crude adjustment system comparatively),I was unable to get the head back on the driver due to a loose screw(and unable to find a similar head from local pros)
10 minutes before my qualifying round at Formby the pro managed to figure out the misaligned screw and I drove it great all day.
Since then I have taken great care to wrap the head when placing in a pocket.


Or, use a hard case and leave at airport hotel if applicable.

[Rob Marshall]

Using a soft case(Club Glove).
1.Use a stiff arm
2.remove driver head(put in pocket of bag)
3. protect tip in driver shaft by carefully wrapping and turning upside down in bag.
4. wrap fairways heads, irons etc. in towels(you'll need 5-6 in case of rain)
5. wrap rain pants and jacket around irons/woods


Have never had a broken club from travel.
Ironically, the first time I took the head off the driver on a flight, a Titleist 913(which had a very crude adjustment system comparatively),I was unable to get the head back on the driver due to a loose screw(and unable to find a similar head from local pros)
10 minutes before my qualifying round at Formby the pro managed to figure out the misaligned screw and I drove it great all day.
Since then I have taken great care to wrap the head when placing in a pocket.


Or, use a hard case and leave at airport hotel if applicable.

Pretty much exactly what I do