The art of packing
Golf and "traveling light" seem to be mutually exclusive. Which means golf trips are going to get more expensive as airlines offset surging fuel prices with new luggage fees. In August, Spirit Airlines, one of the first to charge for checking even one bag, will begin charging for carry-on bags that don't fit under the seat in front of you. Although the nation's largest carriers have vowed not to follow, you know they're thinking about it.
So what's a Frugal Golfer to do? I called several experts and asked them how I could pack more efficiently to help keep costs down.
Find the right travel bag
Most of us need a golf travel bag that holds more than our golf bag and a set of clubs, says Jeff Herold, founder and president of Club Glove, a maker of travel bags. He's right: Packing other golf-trip essentials in your travel case is an easy way to avoid checking two bags. I also stay away from hard cases: They can weigh twice as much as soft covers and often don't fit in the trunk of a smaller rental car, which means I'd pay more for a larger car.
Take smaller carry-ons
The largest legal dimension for a carry-on is 45 linear inches, which means when you add its length, width and depth, it can't exceed 45 inches. Susan Foster, author of Smart Packing for Today's Traveler, says a large carry-on could incur a $35 second-checked-bag fee.
Pack less stuff
The limit for checked bags is 50 pounds -- plenty if you pack wisely. "Take one pair of golf shoes instead of two," Herold says. "Pack just one dozen balls and don't travel with all 14 clubs." Foster suggests shopping at minimus.biz, a website that sells many essentials in travel sizes.
Pack ahead of time
Foster recommends packing three days before you leave on your trip to avoid panicking. "When we panic, we overpack," she says. "I've convinced my husband, an avid golfer, that this is a relaxing, more efficient way to pack."
Color code
"Pick one basic color, and work everything off that," says Marty Hackel, Golf Digest's Mr. Style. "If I pack navy shirts [solids, stripes and prints with a navy base], I'll need only a limited selection of bottoms and accessories."
Think about fabrics "Microfiber pants, shorts, socks and shirts are lighter and don't wrinkle easily," Foster says. "And they dry overnight so you can wash and wear them more than once."
Use a lightweight stand bag
The latest carry bags weigh about five pounds (click here for our Hot List on golf bags), or about half of what most cart bags weigh.
Fold and roll
To maximize the space you have, fold clothes flat across the top of your bag, and roll smaller pieces to stick them into corners. "I fold
my nicest items to preserve them throughout the trip," says Foster. "But I roll up my underwear, socks and sleepwear and tuck them into empty areas."
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