Golf travel tips: Hard or soft golf travel case?

Travelling to play golf can be an exciting prospect; it gives you the chance to explore new locations and try your hand at some of the best courses in the world.

But it can also be a bit of a hassle. Packing takes time and proper planning, organising a group takes military-style coordination and getting to grips with a new place can feel daunting. And this is only made more complicated if you’re travelling with your own clubs.

You can read Golf Travel Centre’s Travelling with Golf Clubs Guide and our tips for Packing for your Golf Holiday here. But first things first, if you’re taking your clubs you will need to decide what kind of golf travel bag is the best option for you. Here are our 5 top tips on deciding between a hard or soft golf travel case.

1. Cost

The price of a quality golf bag can range from anything between £100 to £300. This will vary depending on whether it’s a hard vs soft golf travel bag, as hard cases almost always turn out to be more expensive. There are cheaper options, of course, but you really want to go for quality when protecting your prized possessions. Some features of a good golf bag include extra padding inside and outside the bag, easy to understand instructions and solid wheels and handles when you are transporting it.

2. Protection

Who knows how much your bag will be thrown around when going through airport transit; a hard case can give you more peace of mind as it will undoubtedly provide the maximum protection for your clubs. On the other hand, a hard case is less flexible and often more cumbersome to carry, making a soft case a better option when travelling in a car or by train as it’s lighter and easier to store. You can now get the best of both worlds and get a combination case that has features of both hard and soft cases built in, making this a good third option.

3. Security

A hard case will generally come with a built-in locking system which can be beneficial when you have to leave your beloved clubs in the hands of someone else. However, you cannot always rely on this locking system when travelling by plane as airport security regulations may limit your ability to lock your case. Soft bags aren’t always designed with a fixed security system and can be more susceptible to damage due to their material casing. We recommend keeping an eye on your bag as much as possible.

4. Space

Despite appearances, don’t always assume that a hard golf travel case is automatically larger than a soft case option, as soft bag manufacturers can now often provide options that are relatively large or can be extended. A hard case bag will take up more space when you’re travelling and is often less flexible for fitting items in, where a soft bag has mailable edges and allows you to pack into every corner of the bag to maximise space.

5. Storage

Eventually, your trip will have to come to an end so it’s worth thinking about how to store your golf travel bag when you return home. A soft travel bag can generally fold down into a box or suitcase or it can fit under the bed, allowing you to forget about it until your next golf break. A hard golf travel bag, unfortunately, doesn’t have that luxury and can easily take up a lot of space in your garage or shed. It’s worth checking if you have a suitable storage place before you purchase unless you want your case to become a permanent feature.

 

We can’t tell you whether to choose a hard vs soft golf travel bag to buy as there are many things to consider when you’re choosing your bag, but be sure to get something that will look after your clubs while you travel as we expect you’ll get the golf travel bug soon enough. Check out some of our top golf holidays here.