Travel/Flight Bag

[AdamC28]

I'm off to Spain in a couple of weeks for my first golf trip abroad and need a travel bag.

At most I am only likely to use the bag once per year so don't want to spend a fortune but as it is carrying over £1k's worth of kit I want something that's up to the job.
I have found the MacGregor bags for around £40 or is it worth spending more on something else?

I am happy to spend more if it has features that I may need but I don't want to unnecessarily pay more just to have a "named" brand.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rlburnside]

Can be a lottery sometimes depends how there handled , I’ve used a cheap canvas Dunlop bag twice a year for the past 10 years and had one driver shaft broke in that time.

My other more expensive bag I found to big and cumbersome so I don’t use, I put foam tubes ( the kind that’s used for insulating water pipes) around shafts and a jumper and waterproofs around heads.

 

[cliveb]

I don't have a recommendation for what to get, but I can recommend what NOT to get.

Sun Mountain do a soft travel bag which was about £60 a couple of years ago. They are pants - avoid. The material got torn very easily. The first was replaced and then the same thing happened to the replacement. It was returned for a refund. I thought buying such a reputable brand would ensure decent quality but was sadly disappointed.

 

[Gufit]

I bought a bag for 35 pounds, and used it 3 times already. I was completely satisfied with this bag, it is not a pity to stain or damage it.

 

[clubchamp98]

Weight is a major factor.
Some expensive ones are no better than cheap Masters in AG.
Take the heads off woods if you can ,put them back in head cover in the pockets.
Put shafts in adapter first .
But a cheap mop ,the old string type, cut it two inches longer than your longest club.
Handle first this protects from head on damage.
Bubble wrap ,or jumpers around the heads is just as good as expensive padded bags.
Just pray they arrive in one piece ,nothing more you can do.
Just check weight allowed as it varies with each airline.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

All of the above..... or just buy a hardcase one 👍

 

[badgb21]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07RRXGYLV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I recently got one of these and very pleased with it. Has a hard top section and padded lower. I added iron head covers (cheap on eBay) then just dropped cart bag in, with all long clubs with their covers on and put a towel around heads to soak up little space left.
Bag is snug, but got 2 pairs of shoes in and could have got more if required.
The lower section folds into the hard section when storing bag.

You'll need a mushroom too for just about all bags. To prevent any compression damage from the top or bottom, they run about £15;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Masters-Go...Zgw-usOxiiac6X963MSCGWpppKA6ujkRoCPXEQAvD_BwE

 

[AdamC28]

Ok thanks for the tips so far.
Sounds like it’s more important to spend the time packing everything as well as possible rather than worrying too much about the bag it’s in.

 

[Deleted member 18121]

I got a cheap Fazer travel bag off Amazon - about £40 .

I've taken it to and from Florida and Majorca this year with no issues.

Only precautions I took were to remove driver head and stick it in the bag and then the driver shaft in upside down. I then wrapped the shafts together with a scarf and then a medium sized baby towel around the whole lot.

So far, so good.

 

[clubchamp98]

All of the above..... or just buy a hardcase one 👍

Have you ever tried getting four hard cases in your car ?
They are a nightmare.
Once we get where we are going the clubs come out the bags for space

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Some of our guys go to Portugal and Turkey regularly and wrap the tops of the clubs with bubble wrap to protect them inside the bag before putting them in the flight bag

 

[need_my_wedge]

I bought a travel bag 5 years ago when we started flying on golf trips. Took the opinion that I wanted something that would protect my clubs, last and not get ripped up. I bought a clubglove bag (https://www.clubglove.com/viewproduct/last-bag-collegiate/ ), which also came with a free stiff arm and was much cheaper back then. The bag is very good quality, no splits or tears as yet, but I bought th esmallest version for stand bags. Whilst I can get my bag and clubs in, and wrap a couple of bags of tshirts/ underwear etc around the club heads, also a pair of shoes and a wash bag, it is a bit tight and can only really get enough in for a 4 night trip, I do end up with some clothing in my carry bag.

My lad was working in AG for the last year or so, the SRixon ones have a good reputation, and are a lot roomier, and cheaper than the club glove.

 

[mister v]

i bought a club glove one on ebay, complete fluke as the auction finished at a weird time so didnt have any bids. It is an expensive bag, brilliant construction and came with a strong arm protector......... if your not going to blow the bank on the bag, and to be honest theres loads out there for £60 which will do an exellent job, spend the money on the strong arm for £20 it is an exellent bit of kit , have a great trip
I told my wife our spain trip was a one off....... the following year it was an annual event!!
https://www.americangolf.co.uk/gps-...MIq6KKsKjX5AIVQ7TtCh1OOw0DEAQYASABEgIjUfD_BwE

 

[need_my_wedge]

i bought a club glove one on ebay, complete fluke as the auction finished at a weird time so didnt have any bids. It is an expensive bag, brilliant construction and came with a strong arm protector......... if your not going to blow the bank on the bag, and to be honest theres loads out there for £60 which will do an exellent job, spend the money on the strong arm for £20 it is an exellent bit of kit , have a great trip
I told my wife our spain trip was a one off....... the following year it was an annual event!!
https://www.americangolf.co.uk/gps-...MIq6KKsKjX5AIVQ7TtCh1OOw0DEAQYASABEgIjUfD_BwE

Here ya go, very good condition and deal if it stays around this price

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RYDER-CU...653832?hash=item23c25bd608:g:mHYAAOSwT-JdPy-k

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Have you ever tried getting four hard cases in your car ?
They are a nightmare.
Once we get where we are going the clubs come out the bags for space

No but where in the OP is that mentioned as a requirement?

 

[mister v]

Here ya go, very good condition and deal if it stays around this price

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RYDER-CU...653832?hash=item23c25bd608:g:mHYAAOSwT-JdPy-k

Mate you should buy that!! it's what the pro's use therefore your a pro!!!!

 

[IanM]

I got a McGregor one off ebay for £40. Does the job well.

There are 2 sorts of "flying golfers." One who just about zip up the rain cover then throw them on the conveyor belt.... others who use bubble wrap, towels, broom handles, more bubble wrap, more towels, foam, helium balloons.... etc etc....

I tend towards the second!

 

[clubchamp98]

No but where in the OP is that mentioned as a requirement?

It wasn’t !
But I am trying to be practical.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Mate you should buy that!! it's what the pro's use therefore your a pro!!!!

If you haven't bought yet, I just got a mail from ebay saying the Ryder Cup club glove has been reduced to £89, definitely worth a punt at that.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I had a very cheap hard case. TBH it was pretty good but did take damage over the years.

I ended up having to tape it closed and be quite inventive locking it up but as the hard shell was intact it still did the job.

I would recommend a hard case if you can find a reasonable priced one and don’t worry if the locks break, as long as the shell is intact you can keep using it.