Using your own or rental clubs

[GolfNut57]

Curious about how the golfers here have handled this. I have never flown anywhere to play golf but if I do I think I would prefer to take my own and then insure them. That way if the airline lost them, I would allegedly have the most expensive sticks you could buy. 

[ricepig]

I've always taken mine, it's not a big deal.

[root_hawg]

Ship stix

[jfan01]

Ship stix

I don't know how they are in business. It's not really any cheaper to use ship stix versus baggage fees on the plane. Plus, if you use ship stix, you have to send your clubs like 4 days before you leave. That rules out any chance of playing or hitting balls before you go on your golf trip. You can get them sent next day or 2 day shipping, but then you are spending much more than the baggage fees would be.

I prefer to take them on the plane.

I've used rental clubs once, at Kapalua in Hawaii, because I hadn't planned to play until I got there and got the go ahead from the wife as it was an anniversary trip. Places like that have nice rental sets, mine were Titleist, but not many options if you require X flex shafts or something not off the rack. I have a high swing speed, so I was trying to adjust to the clubs the entire round.  Much better to take clubs you are familiar with if that is at all possible.

I say all that assuming you are a serious golfer since you post in this forum all the time. If it was Joe shmoe that plays twice a year and thinks they need to play a nice course because it's there and they're on vacation, then rental clubs are fine.

[ricepig]

I don't know how they are in business. It's not really any cheaper to use ship stix versus baggage fees on the plane. Plus, if you use ship stix, you have to send your clubs like 4 days before you leave. That rules out any chance of playing or hitting balls before you go on your golf trip. You can get them sent next day or 2 day shipping, but then you are spending much more than the baggage fees would be.

I prefer to take them on the plane.

I've used rental clubs once, at Kapalua in Hawaii, because I hadn't planned to play until I got there and got the go ahead from the wife as it was an anniversary trip. Places like that have nice rental sets, mine were Titleist, but not many options if you require X flex shafts or something not off the rack. I have a high swing speed, so I was trying to adjust to the clubs the entire round.  Much better to take clubs you are familiar with if that is at all possible.

I say all that assuming you are a serious golfer since you post in this forum all the time. If it was Joe shmoe that plays twice a year and thinks they need to play a nice course because it's there and they're on vacation, then rental clubs are fine.

Yep, I'm a serious golfer, just not anywhere as good as I was 10 years ago. I'm afraid rental clubs couldn't take the cussing I give my own, I'm afraid the rentals would just quit on me......

[GolfNut57]

Yep, I'm a serious golfer, just not anywhere as good as I was 10 years ago. I'm afraid rental clubs couldn't take the cussing I give my own, I'm afraid the rentals would just quit on me......

lol....plus if you break a rental club in anger you gotta pay for it. Break your own and the course doesn't care.

[HogHolio]

I don't know how they are in business. It's not really any cheaper to use ship stix versus baggage fees on the plane. Plus, if you use ship stix, you have to send your clubs like 4 days before you leave. That rules out any chance of playing or hitting balls before you go on your golf trip. You can get them sent next day or 2 day shipping, but then you are spending much more than the baggage fees would be.

I prefer to take them on the plane.

I've used rental clubs once, at Kapalua in Hawaii, because I hadn't planned to play until I got there and got the go ahead from the wife as it was an anniversary trip. Places like that have nice rental sets, mine were Titleist, but not many options if you require X flex shafts or something not off the rack. I have a high swing speed, so I was trying to adjust to the clubs the entire round.  Much better to take clubs you are familiar with if that is at all possible.

I say all that assuming you are a serious golfer since you post in this forum all the time. If it was Joe shmoe that plays twice a year and thinks they need to play a nice course because it's there and they're on vacation, then rental clubs are fine.

I've used them multiple times. Always been very satisfied. Of course I was always on business trips and then was staying over or hopping a flight somewhere else and didn't want to lug them around through hotels multiple baggage checks etc... 

Plus they dont lose your clubs as often as airlines do. On my last trip for example I met my buddy in Atlanta and got to the hotel and my clubs were waiting for me his didn't make his connecting flight. So I headed out the next day with my sticks while buddy had to use rentals as his clubs were dropped off mid round the next day by the airport.

[root_hawg]

Yeah they have always gotten my clubs to me, renting clubs is like playing with someone else's wife ... could be good could be bad

[RazorPiggie]

I went to Disney last year and played with rentals but didn't really like it. I really didn't want to have to keep up with mine or risk them getting lost or broken on the plane ride or pay the fees to get them shipped. If I had to do it again I'd probably pay to get them shipped.

I had a buddy that rented down in FL this last summer. Was on the 3rd hole, took out the 7iron. Swung. On the downswing the club snapped and somehow stuck him right in the left hand. He had to go get stitches. The course was really nice about it and paid for the Dr visit and gave him back his money, plus 2 more rounds.

[GolfNut57]

I went to Disney last year and played with rentals but didn't really like it. I really didn't want to have to keep up with mine or risk them getting lost or broken on the plane ride or pay the fees to get them shipped. If I had to do it again I'd probably pay to get them shipped.

I had a buddy that rented down in FL this last summer. Was on the 3rd hole, took out the 7iron. Swung. On the downswing the club snapped and somehow stuck him right in the left hand. He had to go get stitches. The course was really nice about it and paid for the Dr visit and gave him back his money, plus 2 more rounds.

Sounds like what happened to me one time while playing the old Cadron Valley golf course back when it was still 18 holes. I was taking a swing with my PW I think it was and right in the middle of the down swing the shaft snapped inside the grip and a jagged part of the metal shaft burst through the rubber. Fortunately for me it was right between my hands (baseball bat grip) so it didn't cut me. When I took it to get re-shafted the repair guy cut away the old rubber grip to see why it had broken like that and found out the metal had rusted away pretty good under the grip. Somehow water had gotten under the grip and caused the issue. And seeing as back then I was still just a relative beginner to the game I had bought the club out of a barrel at one of the local courses due to the cheap cost.

As for your buddy, how was he able to play with those stitches in his hand? I would think golf would be out for a couple of weeks. Thinking I would need more than just the Dr. bill paid plus two rounds of golf to compensate me. Maybe like all the golf I wanted to play for the next thirty days at the least. AFTER my hand was healed of course.