Shipping clubs

April 11, 2013 1:13 PM

Can you explain the logistics of shipping golf clubs?

I would like to ship a set of golf clubs from Southern California to Southern Oregon. How long before I go should I ship them (prefer ground for $ reasons) How do I get them back home? Do I preprint a shipping label and hope I don't lose it or get it wet and destroy it? The course uses a company called "Ship Sticks" but that seems to be used to ship from a private club, of which I'm not a member.

posted by Cuspidx to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total)

You can ship stuff to a hotel or maybe even to the club you are going to with prior arrangement. Whenever I ship stuff to places (hotels) I will be at later I ship on a known schedule (ie FedEx 3 business day or whatever) and plan to have them arrive the day before I do. Maybe adding an extra day if it is critical. The front desk of the hotel is usually ok to hold stuff for a day or so if you're a registered guest and they know it is coming.

So... just pack them up and ship them, no? Or am I missing something? I can't help feeling there is some element missing from your question that somehow makes it complicated, to be honest, because as presented it is pretty straightforward.
posted by Brockles at 1:19 PM on April 11, 2013

FedEx will (evidently, since they've been advertising this on TV a good bit lately) will pack and ship them for you at a FedEx Office location. I suppose you would just do it again to get them back home. see here for the box itself. you can also request that they be held at the nearest FedEx Office location when you ship them out (in case you're not able to arrange for someone at your hotel/club/etc. to accept the package and hold them for you there). UPS probably has similar options (through the UPS Store stuff); FedEx just happens to be running TV ads specifically for this lately.
posted by mrg at 2:09 PM on April 11, 2013

Disclosure: I used to do the sports marketing for FedEx and handled a bit of clubs. They have a video explaining the process here. If you have a travel bag, you can skip the box. As for the waterproof question, they have a harder plasticized label holder that affixes to your bag's handle via a cable tie and will keep the shipping label waterproofed. Shown in the linked video at 1:07.

And if shipping your clubs becomes too much of a hassle, I've been happy with the quality and service from Golf Rental World whenever I need extra rental clubs on the road.
posted by icaicaer at 2:23 PM on April 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

Did you read the Ship Sticks website? It certainly implies that the company services more than just private clubs: "we can pick up from your home, office, or golf course. You may choose to drop your clubs off at a UPS Store as well"
posted by mullacc at 3:09 PM on April 11, 2013

Whatever the feck you do, do not use UPS. It looked as though Godzilla herself happened upon my clubs and vented upon it an anger unmatched, when I sent them via UPS from Missouri to California.

Seriously...NO UPS!!!
posted by couchdive at 3:09 PM on April 11, 2013