When you hit the road to play golf; moreover, when you take to the air, you may be surprised if your golf clubs do not arrive with you at your golf vacation destination.  However, if you are like me, (I lost my clubs, due to the airlines failing to find them when my journey completed in 2006), you may be surprised if you do get them back these days.

It’s a much different world we live in today.  Terrorism acts of 2001 changed the way we travel by air, and as we all know, if you want a free physical exam, travelling by air is a good way to get one.  That is, when you CHECK IN.  When you pick up your belongings at baggage however, it is a much different story, which I learned (the hard way), might have been the reason I lost my collector-set of Wilson FCB’s and Callaway woods.

Here are some tips for you so you can avoid loss…

• Invest in a hard-shell golf travel case, with locks, to help protect your drivers, irons, and wedges from being ruined in transit.
• Perhaps avoid logos that make it an appealing theft item.
• Consider adding a sticker that says it is GPS monitored for theft).
• If you can rent clubs for the occasion, consider it.
• Take advantage of the services that pick your luggage up and express ship it to & from your golf destination…Now that the airlines are charging for bags, it may not seem like that much more to ship them.
• Try to buy a case with fluorescent orange or green color to help prevent loss by someone accidently picking your luggage up, and so you can easily spot it (walking away).
• Inscribe your identification & phone number (preferably cell) on your case.
• Insure your clubs for every penny they are worth
• Keep the receipts for your golf clubs

Here is the rest of the story…
I was heading to Denver to play in a charity tournament in 2006, for which my flight from Chicago went through Dallas each way, for the round-trip flight.  Getting there was a breeze!

When I landed in Denver, we learned there was another terrorism scare in London that, again, stiffened the [already] stringent rules as to what they allowed carried on; versus what [had to be] checked.  Furthermore, certain items were (temporarily) prohibited altogether. 

I felt good about what I had brought with me, in that I had few electronic devices (digital camera, cell phone, and electric shaver).  If all liquids were banned, I could buy new after-shave, deodorant, and toothpaste when I got back home.  No big deal…or so I thought.

We had a great tournament and we all received some gifts that included a shoe-bag, golf accessories, MaxFli golf balls, an Addidas shirt, a watch, and even our own Gotta-Grip.

However, when I arrived at the airport for my trip home, the curbside check-in agent was not sure about whether I would have to check my camera, and shaving kit.  At the last minute, I threw it all (with some street shoes and valuables) in my travel golf case, which I received after becoming a lifetime member of a golf association/magazine, and proceeded to go through security with my carry-on containing only clothes and the Shoe-Bag I received as a gift.

Upon my arrival at O’Hare airport, I spent the next two hours searching for my golf case.  After finally getting the report from the baggage manager that I should go home and my golf clubs (most likely) would be delivered to me the next day, I left.

The clubs never came, and after calling, writing, and getting nowhere, I filed a claim.

I learned that I was one of thousands of travelers that lost bags that day, and that O’Hare Airport was one of the worst that month in the nation for baggage loss.

This led me to write my congressional representative a letter stating that I appreciated the free physical upon my arrival at airport security, but wondered why ANYONE could walk right through the doors at the lower baggage level, and walk away with a bag going unchecked. 

I learned that (at that time), many airports in the country operated like that.  I said in my letter that it makes no sense to protect one link in a security chain, while completely neglecting another. 

I further noted that if someone can walk off with a bag, someone could also put something INTO a bag, which in my case; if it had been circling a carousel in Dallas could have potentially been tampered with before being put on the correct flight back to me.

I did receive a check from the airlines, which restored my faith in their trust; however, the letter I received from my congressman almost scared me more than losing my bag.  It was a quick reply, but lackluster.

In paraphrasing, “That’s a good idea to look at this type of security…we’ll look into it, and I have forwarded your concerns to the Department of Aviation, and Homeland Security…etc.” 

I thought to myself, thousands of bags are un-accounted for each day; I had to throw out my toothpaste, aftershave, and pack my camera into my golf case at the (secured and locked) checkpoint, as well as remove all metal, except the gold in my teeth.  We all had our belongings X-Rayed prior to getting on the plane, but any person in the world can walk into the (un-locked) baggage area and help him or herself to your bags, or worse.

Bottom line is we need better security so be prepared…Case Closed!

Practice, practice, practice…Enjoy Golf!

Ask us how Gotta-Grip can help improve your grip! 
Call today...877-462-1230 or contact us by e-mail.

See our products page where you can order your Gotta-Grip, and other great golf products.

Let us help you find a promotional distributor to get Gotta-Grip for your next golf outing.
Call today...877-462-1230 or contact us by e-mail.