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If you are fortunate enough to play golf abroad, you will soon be faced with the dilemma of whether to hire or alternatively transport your own golfing equipment when you do so. Clearly the most important factors to consider is the cost difference between these two competing options.
In this post, we compare the cost of golf equipment hire against the cost of transporting your own golfing equipment abroad. Since our golf hire service is available in Spain, in this article we assume you plan to play golf in Spain, although much of the below will still apply to most European destinations.
Most serious golfers dream about playing their passion abroad. However, golfers have been identified by airlines as a ‘cash cow’ when it comes to charging a premium for golf equipment carriage. This is because golfers often consist of mid-to-high earners, and their passion generally means they will pay a premium in order to play their beloved sport whilst abroad. In principle, we believe airlines are not playing fair. In this post, we aim to expose the greed of airlines and offer a viable, less costly and less stressful alternative to transporting your own golfing equipment to Spain.
The carriage fee you pay to transport your golfing equipment abroad generally depends on the airline you travel with. Many of these airlines charge a ‘flat fee’, although some airlines will link charges to the weight of your equipment.
Now we outline the cost of transporting your golfing equipment to Spain by dealing with each major airline individually.
British Airways permit golf bags to be absorbed into your so-called 'free' checked baggage allowance. If the weight or size of golf equipment exceeds this amount you must pay an additional fee. Your standard baggage allowance depends on your destination and your service class. Economy class passengers flying to and from Spain via the UK are permitted 1 bag weighing no more than 23KG. Business and first class passengers are permitted 2 bags. Each bag must weigh no more than 32KG.
Your golf bag must not exceed the following dimensions: 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29.5in x 25.5in)
If the weight of 'checked' baggage exceeds your allowance, you will incur a ‘heavy bag charge’. This is set at £65 for each leg of the journey (so a total of £130). Your baggage must not exceed 32kg. If baggage exceeds 32kg, you must instead transport your golf equipment as freight or cargo via a separate carrier.
Additional information:
Ryan Air charges £36 to transport your golf equipment to Spain. This charge is charged per item/per one way flight, with a maximum weight of 20KG. You are not permitted to go over this weight without incurring additional expense. This is currently set at £10 per kilo.
Additional information:
Lufthansa says golf bags are transported ‘free of charge’ within the terms of your normal baggage allowance. This allowance depends on the service class booked and the status of the passenger. Click here for more information. An economy class passenger may transport a single bag weighing no more than 23KG without having to pay extra, whilst a first passenger may transport three bags up to 32KG each without incurring an additional charge.
If you wish to transport golfing equipment outside your regular baggage allowance, then expect to pay £50 for each leg of the journey. This charge allows you to carry a golf bag containing one set of golf clubs, golf balls and tees and a pair of golf shoes.
Additional information:
Golf equipment is considered a standard checked baggage item at no extra cost. However, you will have to pay a fee if you exceed your baggage allowance (currently 23KG or 32KG in business class). The additional fee you pay depends on your location of travel. If you travel within Europe, this fee is set at £70 for each leg of your journey. So you may have to pay up to £140. Furthermore, Air France says additional luggage must not exceed 23KG.
You will also need to gain customer service’s approval before Air France will ‘allow’ you to take your golfing equipment with you.
Additional information:
EasyJet requires you to pay an additional ‘sports equipment fee’. This entitles you to carry golfing equipment weighing no more than 32KG.
EasyJet’s ‘small sports equipment’ package allows you to transport equipment weighing no more than 20KG. This costs £30 each way.
Additional information:
Let’s not forget the cost of insuring your equipment. The cost of insurance varies according to the value of your golfing equipment, but expect to pay in the region of £60 for yearly cover.
The below should be considered as rough estimations and not exact costings. The actual cost of transporting your golf equipment to Spain will vary depending on the value of your equipment, the weight and size of your equipment and the service class you elect.
The below costings assume you elect to transport your golfing equipment outside the terms of your standard baggage allowance.
| Airline | Carriage fees | Insurance fees (optional) | Total |
| Air France | £140 | £60 | £200 |
| British Airways | £130 | £60 | £190 |
| Ryan Air | £72 | £60 | £132 |
| Lufthansa | £100 | £60 | £160 |
| EasyJet | £60 | £60 | £120 |
When you instead choose to hire your golf clubs, you avoid the cost of transporting your clubs entirely.
Below we list rough cost savings you can expect when you choose to hire your golf clubs instead of transporting your clubs to Spain.
| Airline | Total Cost with Insurance | Travel Caddy Four Day Hire | Golf Hire Monetary Savings | Golf Hire Stress Savings |
| Air France | £200 | £40 | £160 | Priceless |
| British Airways | £190 | £40 | £150 | Priceless |
| Ryan Air | £132 | £40 | £92 | Priceless |
| Lufthansa | £160 | £40 | £120 | Priceless |
| EasyJet | £120 | £40 | £80 | Priceless |