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When the Airlines Lost My Golf Clubs for my dream golf trip to St . Andrews , Scotland
“ My hope is for this story to save another golfer from the headache of flying American or British Airways because , for most people , it ’ s a trip of a lifetime , and they normally only do it once . It would ’ ve been horrible if that ’ s what happened to somebody that I could ’ ve warned .”
According to Stallings , many Stone Canyon members now use FedEx or UPS to ship their clubs over to Scotland directly to the resort , and they arrive before they even get on a plane in Kansas City for their golf trip . “ I will definitely be doing that next time ,” said Stallings . “ I will never fly American connecting to British Airways again . Everyone I talk to says Delta is the only way to go out of O ’ Hara in Chicago , which has a straight shot to Edinburgh .”
From the research I ’ ve done , the consensus among golfers who make overseas golf trips is “ Take precautions .” It ’ s worth documenting and photographing everything in your travel bags before heading to the airport . If anything goes missing , that will save you time and a big headache if filing a claim is needed . Additionally , travel insurance can be a wise option . Depending on the policy , it can protect you fully against the loss or damage of your clubs and / or other personal items . Surprisingly , most airlines don ’ t compensate for damaged golf clubs , especially if your clubs are in a soft-covered travel bag .
Generally , for lost or damaged items , including golf clubs , a claim must be filed with the airline . According to TripIt . com / blog , for most airlines , you can qualify for compensation after your bags are lost for more than 24 hours ; if you paid a baggage fee , you are entitled to full reimbursement for that , too . You ’ ll need to provide an inventory of what ’ s been lost , along with an approximate dollar value . It might be tempting to tell the airline you had a set of $ 10,000 custom clubs and a $ 150,000 Rolex in your bag . It might even be true . But that doesn ’ t change the fact that most airlines have a cap on compensation , usually around $ 3,500 . For international travel , the cap is lower , around $ 1,800 . It might be wise to research airline coverage rules , especially if you plan to travel internationally .
Last , seek out friends or club members who have traveled abroad . They will often be happy to share some dos and don ’ ts with you . Remember , you are traveling outside of the USA . “ Take precautions .” Ask others who have been there , done that for travel tips , advice , and references –– whether you are planning the trip on your own or with a travel agency . It is , after all , the golf getaway for a lifetime . �
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TeeTimesMagazine . com TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE August 2024 29