Taking the 'Lug' Out of Your Luggage

Q: Have you ever shipped your clubs instead of lugging them through the airport?

--Paul Ramos / Millis, Mass.

A: I've always preferred to keep my friends close, my enemies closer and my golf bag in the belly of the plane I'm on. Plus, I assumed shipping was too expensive. But I might have been wrong. Shipping a golf bag from Florida to California in five business days costs about $60. Shorter distances cost less; doing it in fewer days costs more. Call FedEx or UPS for shipping labels or print them from fedex.com or ups.com. At Pebble Beach, golf concierge Suzanne Orlando will handle the paperwork if you arrive without it. Lance Gephart of Pinehurst will supply packing material and a box if you don't have a travel bag. "People who come here are already spending a lot of money," he says. "It's the least we can do."