Should I Fly With My Golf Clubs or Rent Them at My Destination?

It’s one of the first questions I get from clients when we start planning a golf trip:

“Do I need to bring my own clubs, or can I rent a set when we get there?”

As a golf professional who has escorted golfers to some of the finest courses in the world — from the links of Ireland and Scotland to sun-drenched fairways in Portugal and beyond — I’ve seen both choices play out in every possible way.

My honest answer?

It depends. But once I walk you through the considerations, you’ll know exactly what’s right for your trip.

The Case for Flying With Your Own Clubs

You Know What You’re Getting

Your clubs are dialled in. The grips feel right, the shafts are exactly what your swing demands, and there’s a psychological comfort that comes from standing on the first tee of a bucket-list course with equipment you trust completely.

On a luxury golf tour, you’re often playing courses that will live in your memory for years. St Andrews, Ballybunion, Valderrama — these are not rounds where you want to be second-guessing a borrowed 7-iron. If you’re a single-figure handicapper or you’ve recently invested in a custom-fitted set, leaving them at home can genuinely cost you strokes and enjoyment.

It’s More Affordable Than You Might Think

Airline golf club fees have become increasingly reasonable. Most major carriers charge between £30–£60 each way for a golf bag, and many premium and business class fares include sports equipment in the allowance. When you compare that to rental fees at a top-tier course — which can run £60–£100+ per round — bringing your own clubs pays for itself within two or three rounds.

On a five-night, six-round tour, that maths becomes very straightforward.

Modern Travel Makes It Easier

A quality hard-shell golf travel bag provides excellent protection. Brands like SKB, Sun Mountain, and Club Glider are purpose-built for this, and when packed properly — with your clubs wrapped, head covers on, and the bag filled with clothing to absorb impact — the risk of damage is low.

I travel with my clubs on every tour I operate. In over a decade of escorting groups, I’ve had one broken shaft. Travel insurance covered it within a week.

The Case for Renting at Your Destination

When Rental Makes Perfect Sense

Renting isn’t always a compromise. In certain situations, it’s genuinely the smarter choice:

You’re mixing golf with leisure travel. If a golf trip is just one part of a longer holiday with family — say, three days in Lisbon followed by two days at Quinta do Lago — hauling a 15kg golf bag through multiple hotels and transfers adds real friction. In these cases, renting a set for your golf days keeps the trip relaxed and nimble.

You’re flying with hand luggage only. Short-haul city breaks or trips involving multiple connecting flights on smaller aircraft can make club transport genuinely impractical. A well-organised rental can be the right call.

You’re a beginner or casual golfer. If you play fewer than ten rounds a year and don’t own a fitted set, renting modern, well-maintained clubs at a resort is perfectly fine. You won’t notice the difference, and you’ll save yourself the hassle entirely.

What to Expect from Rental Clubs at Luxury Courses

This is where I need to be honest with you: rental quality varies enormously.

At the finest golf resorts — the five-star properties I work with on my tours — rental sets are typically recent Titleist, Callaway, or TaylorMade models, well-maintained and properly fitted to a range of sizes. You can often specify shaft flex, left or right-handed, and whether you want woods or hybrids. These are not the worn-out sets gathering dust in a pro shop cupboard.

At lower-tier courses, the experience can be very different. Mismatched irons, missing hybrids, ill-fitting grips. On a premium golf tour, I always vet the rental quality in advance — but if you’re booking independently, it’s worth asking specific questions before you assume.

A Golf Professional’s Honest Recommendation

After escorting hundreds of golfers on luxury tours, here is the guidance I give my own clients:

Bring your clubs if:

• You are a serious golfer (12 handicap or below)
• You own a custom-fitted or recently purchased set
• You are playing more than three rounds on the trip
• The trip is primarily a golf-focused itinerary
• You have a direct or single-connection flight

Consider renting if:

• The trip involves multiple destinations or complex logistics
• You’re playing just one or two rounds as part of a broader holiday
• You’re a high-handicap or occasional golfer
• Budget is a consideration and the rental quality at your destination is confirmed to be high

Practical Tips if You Do Fly With Your Clubs

1. Invest in a good travel bag. A hard-shell case is worth every penny. Soft bags offer minimal protection in a baggage hold.
2. Remove your driver head if you can. Many modern drivers have adjustable hosels, making the head easy to detach and pack separately. This protects the longest, most vulnerable club in the bag.
3. Check your airline’s policy in advance. Fees, weight limits, and size restrictions vary. Book the clubs as sports equipment — not as a second bag — as the fees are often lower.
4. Take out travel insurance that covers golf equipment. A good travel insurance policy will cover clubs up to £1,500–£2,000. Check the small print.
5. Photograph your clubs before you travel. A quick photo of each club laid out is useful if you ever need to make a claim.
6. Arrive at the airport with time to spare. Oversized baggage drops often have earlier deadlines than standard check-in.

How I Handle This on My Luxury Golf Tours

When clients join one of my escorted tours, I take this decision off their plate.

I always communicate in advance exactly what the rental quality is like at each course we’re visiting. If it’s exceptional — as it is at several of the resorts I work with — I’ll say so. If I believe bringing personal clubs will meaningfully enhance the experience, I’ll recommend it clearly.

For tours to classic links destinations like Scotland and Ireland, I almost always advise bringing your own clubs. Half the joy of playing Lahinch or Royal Dornoch is doing so with the equipment you know and trust.

For warmer-weather tours to Portugal or Spain, where the itinerary often includes leisure time between rounds, I take it on a case-by-case basis.

The bottom line: on a truly special golf trip, you want every variable working in your favour. Your clubs, in your hands, on a course you’ve dreamed of playing — that’s the complete experience.

Interested in joining one of my luxury escorted golf tours? Get in touch to discuss upcoming itineraries to Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, and beyond.