The Loop

Golf World Monday: TSA policy's golf "challenge"

March 11, 2013

From the March 11 issue of Golf World Monday:

The TSA, guardians of the near-naked full-body scanner, vigilant confiscators of aftershave and minty fresh mouthwash in excess of 3.4 fluid ounces, dutiful practitioners of the little old lady pat down, has declared that, in the future, it will be acceptable to travel with lacrosse sticks, ski poles and, most importantly, no more than two carry-on golf clubs.

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Hailed by sportsmen far and wide, this newly relaxed policy does present a downside risk. Since your average golfer travels with 14 clubs, we -- and I think I can speak for all of us here -- are now faced with the dilemma of which two to choose for this preferential treatment and which dozen will be left to the mercy of heartless baggage handlers like innocent lambs led to the slaughter of the fatted Louis Vuittons.

Naturally, the putter and the driver are the two clubs that leap to mind as the most idiosyncratic, neurotic and, frankly, vengeful and, for that reason alone, seem to be the likeliest choice for the overhead bin of history.

After all, imagine the reaction of either one of those two if we were to select a couple of, say, mid-irons at random. Who among us can afford to gratuitously insult either club?