With lush seaside golf courses from Maui to Kauai, Hawaii is a dream destination for golfers. However, navigating Hawaii’s eight main islands with golf bags in tow can be stressful and tiring, so many golfers are opting to ship their golf clubs to Hawaii ahead of their trip.
Whether you’re no stranger to traveling abroad for golf or you are taking a once-in-a-lifetime golf vacation to Hawaii, you might find that shipping your golf bag ahead of your arrival is the single detail that makes your entire trip more enjoyable.
Why Ship Your Golf Bags to Hawaii
Unless you live in Hawaii, you and your golf bag will be traveling a fair distance to reach your Hawaiian golf destination. But that doesn’t mean your clubs have to travel on your schedule. Consider the many benefits of shipping golf clubs to Hawaii:
It simplifies your travel.
When you travel for golf, chances are you have other luggage to bring. Depending on how long you plan on staying in Hawaii and what else you plan to do, you might find yourself in need of more than one suitcase or bag.
Regardless of how you plan to get to Hawaii, whether by air or by boat, you’ll find that shipping golf clubs to Hawaii can simplify your entire trip. It’s one less bag for you to keep up with, one less bag for luggage handlers to lose or damage, and one less piece of luggage to weigh you down as you travel from mainland to island and back again.
It saves you from renting clubs at the golf course.
Some golfers have no problem renting a set of clubs from the golf course. For others, it’s their only option if they don’t have their own set of clubs. But for serious golfers who painstakingly selected their golf clubs and value their set as their most prized possession, taking your golf bag on vacation is non-negotiable.
You’re familiar with your own golf clubs. You might have even customized them! You’ve built trust in your clubs, and can play a better game when you’re confident in the equipment you’re using. Not to mention, you’ll save precious playing time when you don’t have to waste your morning testing out clubs in the pro shop to see which ones best suit your skill and style.
It’s easier (and often cheaper) than taking golf clubs on the plane.
Checking your golf bag with your airline can prove risky in several aspects:
First, there’s the dreaded possibility of the airline losing or misplacing your golf bag. If you’ve ever had this happen to your luggage, you already know it can be a pain to track down where your bag is or how long you should plan to be without your belongings. If your golf bag isn’t recovered by the time you’re ready to tee off, you could be shelling out more money on rental clubs and other accessories.
Then there are the added baggage fees. Most airlines charge upwards of $50 dollars to check a golf bag, depending on how heavy your bag. Combine this cost with the other bags you’re checking and flying all your luggage to Hawaii can become quite costly.
Once you get to Hawaii, your golf clubs may take a while to come down the conveyor belt (unless someone else mistakenly snatches them before you do). In addition, consider how much you’ll be transporting your clubs once you finally collect them from baggage claim. From the airport to the resort to the course (and potentially several taxi or shuttle rides in between), your clubs will be traveling the same amount of time and miles as you will be, which might leave you less strength and energy to play your best round.
You have one less thing to focus on during your trip.
Golf has been touted as an ideal way to relax. For many, it’s a way to relieve stress and leave the rest of the world behind. But having to transport your own clubs a few thousand miles can make a peaceful golf vacation anything but.
You shouldn’t have to endure a stressful traveling experience to earn the right to enjoy yourself on the course. The less you have to work on your dream golf vacation, the more it feels like a real vacation. And that’s the detail that could make all the difference in your Hawaii golf trip.
How to Ship Your Golf Clubs to Hawaii
If you like the idea of shipping golf clubs to Hawaii, you should know that you have a few logistical options. Traditionally, golfers who ship their golf bags are used to using couriers. However, courier services are expensive and do not usually have the expertise in shipping golf bags to handle them properly.
This is why a few golfers developed Ship Sticks, a shipping service dedicated exclusively to helping golfers get their clubs from Point A to Point B in the quickest, safest, most convenient possible way.
How does Ship Sticks work?
When you ship golf clubs to Hawaii using Ship Sticks, you’re guaranteed to have your clubs arrive before you’re scheduled to tee off. Ship Sticks can send your club to thousands of golf courses and resorts around the world, leaving you to enjoy more of your trip with less hassle.
Having shipped over 3.5 million golf clubs and serving over 200,000 customers since its inception, Ship Sticks has quickly become the most preferred way to ship golf clubs to Hawaii and elsewhere. Here’s how it works:
Schedule your shipment
Once you pick your golf destination, you can request a quote from Ship Sticks or schedule your shipment online. Their form is easy-to-use, and you have the option of either having your clubs picked up from your location or taking them to your local drop off point.
Print your labels
Once your shipment is finalized, print your shipping labels and attach them to the outside of your golf bag. You will receive all the instructions you need to correctly label your shipment.
Prepare your golf clubs
Your clubs will need to be packed in a golf travel bag, box, or hard case. If you are shipping in a soft-sided golf bag, it’s a good idea to zip tie your zippers to make sure your pockets remained zipped throughout its transit. You should also take care to remove the heads from adjustable clubs and store them inside your bag.
Finally, make sure you weigh your bag to ensure you are within the weight limits. The weight allowance for a standard golf bag is 32-42 lbs, while the weight allowance for an XL golf bag is no more than 56 lbs.
Send your clubs to their destination
If you chose to drop off your clubs, you can visit the logistics location of your choice during your specified drop off window. If you opted for a pickup, Ship Sticks will assign a logistics provider to arrange the pick up during the specified time frame.
Once your clubs are on their way, you can track their progress using your designated Ship Sticks tracking ID. Ship Sticks’ customer support team continually monitors the progress of your clubs and can help answer questions you may have about your golf clubs’ transit.
Enjoy your game
Once your clubs arrive at their destination, you will get an email letting you know they’re ready to play when you are.
However, if by some chance your clubs don’t make it to the course before you do, Ship Sticks pays for you to rent clubs so that nothing gets in between you and the fairway. In addition, Ship Sticks automatically ensures each shipment for $1,000 per golf bag, giving you the option of increasing it to $3,500 per bag.
Ship Sticks has partnered with more than 3,500 facilities to date, and can ship to all of the most popular golf courses in Hawaii:
Kapalua Golf, Maui
Glimmering white sand beaches and the stunning blue of the Pacific Ocean make Kapalua the perfect backdrop for a round of golf. Here you have your pick between the Bay Course, home to over 20 professional tournaments since its inauguration, and the Plantation Course, consistently rated as Hawaii’s #1 course.
The Bay Course is home to the famous 5th Hole overlooking the ocean on Maui. It’s the only hole of its kind, and will make the entire round worthwhile.
Wailea Golf Club, Kauai
Aside from providing perfect golf weather year round, Wailea Golf Club on Kauai has been touted as one of the best full-service golf courses in the country. Wailea offers three distinct courses that offer visually stunning elements and unique challenges that cater to the skill levels of average and professional golfers alike.
The Wailea Emerald course presents golfers with an oceanfront view from every hole, which makes your extended game time worth every minute. Among the most women-friendly golf courses in existence, Wailea Emerald is everything in form and function that you’d expect from a top-rate Hawaiian golf course.
The Wailea Blue course embodies the Hawaiian golf spirit like no other. With scenic views of neighboring islands (including the volcano Mt. Haleakala), you won’t find a more picturesque golf course in Hawaii. The Blue features its own pro shop and clubhouse for your convenience.
The Wailea Gold course is the perfect blend of masterful layout and rugged beauty. The course design takes advantage of the area’s natural landscape, including pristine ocean views from nearly every angle. The Gold has received numerous accolades throughout the years, having been named one of the country’s top 10 golf resort courses on multiple occasions, as well as one of the best-designed golf courses as determined by readers of Conde Nast Traveler.
Poipu Bay Golf Course, Kauai
Bordered by lush mountains and comprised of rolling knolls atop the Pacific Ocean, Poipu Bay Golf Course is every bit as challenging as it is majestic. The elusive Hawaiin monk seals, humpback whales, and sea turtles are known to make appearances, which means you’ll have every excuse when it comes to tallying your scorecard.
Situated alongside the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, you have every amenity available to you when you decide to retire your clubs for the day. The area is also home to ancient remnants of worship sites and stone walls for you to explore in between rounds.
No matter where you choose to play, Ship Sticks will get there before you do to ensure you’re waiting only for your tee time, not your clubs.
Cost of Shipping
Customers are often surprised by how affordable it is to ship a golf bag to Hawaii with Ship Sticks, despite its distance from mainland U.S.
Shipping prices vary between logistics providers, travel dates, distance, bag weight, round trip versus one-way, and other factors. However, Ship Sticks users typically enjoy a cost savings of up to 60% as opposed to other carriers. Ship Sticks rates start as low as $39.99, which includes complimentary insurance, logistics pickup, handling, and customer support.
Ship Sticks uses major logistics providers you’re familiar with, such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. They have negotiated special rates with these carriers and have passed those savings on to you. Simply put, this means they can ship your golf clubs to Hawaii for less money than if you were to use one of these logistics providers yourself.
Hands down, Ship Sticks provides you the best value service for your money when it comes to shipping your clubs to Hawaii or other location. For a detailed comparison of the cost of shipping clubs with different airlines and services, see our fee comparison chart.
There’s no doubt that Ship Sticks can make your golf trip feel more like a vacation and less of a chore. Schedule your shipment now using Ship Sticks, and enjoy on-time arrival of your golf bags in Hawaii.