Whether it’s a short trip or an extended stay to a bucket-list location, traveling to play golf is always a fun experience — and there is no better way to experience golf on the road than to make sure you have your trusted clubs with you.

But anytime you take your clubs on the road there is always the risk that a club could break on its way to your final destination — in most cases it’s a driver or fairway wood, since they’re the longest clubs in the bag.

We don’t want that. So to give your clubs the best chance of arriving safe and in one piece we’ve put together a quick guide so you have one less thing to worry about on your next golf trip.

Have the right gear

Considering the price of clubs and the cost of travel, investing a small amount into a proper travel bag and a few other accessories will go a long way in helping to make sure your clubs arrive safe. Although there is always a debate between soft-shell and hard-shell travel bag users the general rule of thumb is that both offer the same amount of protection when packed correctly.

Think about your travel bag like a car, and your clubs like a package in the car. The better secured the package is the less it will move around and potentially break. The tighter you can pack your golf bag into the travel bag means less rattling, less compressing, and safer clubs. This is why using something like a Club Glove stiff arm helps to prevent top-to-bottom compression and breakage where the club head meets the shaft.

Seriously, don’t forget to use a travel bag and end up like the golfer below!

Another way to help prevent breakage is to completely remove the heads on any adjustable clubs and store the heads in a separate pocket or extra container to help keep them safe during travel.

When a hard-shell case is best

Although a soft-shell case is ideal for most travel and ease of storage when not in use, for those golfers who use ultra-lightweight clubs and might be unable to take the heads of their driver and fairway woods because they don’t offer adjustability, a hard-shell case can be a great option – just make sure use a stiff arm to keep everything in place.

Or, you can use something that offers the best of both worlds like the Bag Boy T-10 below which has a hard-shell top but can still be stored easily when not in use.

Bag Boy T-10 Travel Cover

$199.95

KEY FEATURES
 

Crush-resistant ABS top for maximum club protection
Larger, premium in-line skate wheels
All-weather 600D polyester fabric body stores inside hard top for compact storage
Main handle integrated into bag top
StandGuard™ A uniquely designed internal high density foam padding to protect the stand bag mechanism while traveling

 
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
 

Lockable, full wrap-around zipper simplifies access and packing
Heavy duty anti-burst strap
Two external oversized pockets
Two internal organization mesh pockets
Durable, skid-resistant ABS base
Internal compression strap stabilizes bag during travel
Oversized shoe/garment pocket

 

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So before your next golf trip, ensure your clubs are packed properly and in the right travel case so you can enjoy a care-free golf experience no matter when the game takes you.

Want to overhaul your bag and find your own perfect fit? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Golf.com Editor

Ryan Barath is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s senior editor for equipment. He has an extensive club-fitting and -building background with more than 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Before joining the staff, he was the lead content strategist for Tour Experience Golf, in Toronto, Canada.