A few years ago 6 of us took a trip to Pinehurst right after they hosted both US opens. (Played No. 2 twice.) We used a major golf club forwarder and shipped 6 bags at the same time from the same location.

The first and major error was relying on travel bags and not boxing the clubs. At the time (don't know if that's changed) you could either box your clubs or place a travel sticker on your travel bag. We thought we secured those labels on the bags. We were wrong.

The second and minor mistake was shipping all of the bags at the same time and from the same place. The common carrier driver was pissed at the volume but he very begrudgingly loaded the clubs.

A few days later, as we were boarding the plane to North Carolina we received a call from the Pinehurst bag room. They asked my friend why he shipped a shipping cart to their bag room. (Absolutely true.) Turns out that the label (which included his info) came off of his travel bag and stuck firmly to a shipping cart. The shipping company, of course, shipped the cart to the Pinehurst bag room. Could imagine the surprise at the bag room when it arrived.

Many many calls later we learned that 2 sets of clubs did not make it and my friends played the big week with rental sets. Not good for them for such a bucket list golf trip. (Funny for the rest of us.)

Epilogue: The company did live up to their insurance policy. The actual 2 missing sets were found and returned a week after the trip concluded. The shipping company probably got its cart back.

I made that trip too back around the same time. I think we got a special rate where it included three rounds of golf, two nights in the inn, plus breakfasts and dinners. Then you had to pay like a $150 premium to play #2, but in exchange you got a gift card from the pro shop for that value.

Was a pretty sweet deal too. Maybe $600 or something. Loved every minute of it. It's a fantastic town.

Truth, and you don't have to stay at the resort to enjoy the area. I've only played #1 and #9 at the resort but nearly every other course in the vicinity over the past 20 years. Highly recommended.

Funny story chipleeder.

This is what always scares TF out of me. I have used it once to send clubs in advance. Arrived no problem (I used my hard case). Forgot to bring the key to open it. About 15 minutes later and much effort I was able to open it with a screwdriver.

These days I have always sent them with me on the plane. I have much less issue in sending them back home. Done that many times.