Shipping Golf Clubs With UPS: Top Considerations You Should Think About

If you’ve ever taken your golf clubs with you to a location, you’d know how frustrating it can be carrying them around everywhere you go. It can also be annoying because a large item like a golf bag is often the last object delivered to baggage claim. But that’s not even the end of it!

When your clubs finally arrive, you’ll have to find a taxi or a rental car big enough to take your golf bag to the hotel.

However, if you’re trying to avoid unnecessary hassle, you should consider shipping golf clubs with UPS. With UPS’s help, the process is a lot easier, and you’ll be ready for the first round on the course in no time. 

That said, before you pack them up for the process, there are some essential considerations you need to make.

Table of Contents

The Five Essential Steps for Shipping Golf Clubs With UPS

According to the skilled staff that works for UPS, there are five crucial steps you need to take if you’re using their services for shipping golf clubs. Adhering to these five steps is important because they have the expertise to pack and deliver almost everything. 

1. Select a box that is sturdy and new. If the shipment is over 40 pounds, they recommend using a 275# burst strength box written on the Manufacturer’s Certification Stamp found on the bottom of the box. A box of this kind can be easily found at The UPS Store.

2. Wrap each golf club individually with bubble wrap. Make sure that you use two layers of bubble wrap on each club. Once done, place the golf clubs in your golf traveling bag or the box.

3. Once you’ve placed the clubs in the traveling bag, use air cushions or more bubble wrap to fill out the empty spaces in the bag/box. Leave no room for your golf clubs to jostle around. Remember, the only filling material you can use for golf clubs is bubble wrap or air cushions. Paper can only be used for items that weigh less than 10 pounds.

4. There must be at least two inches of cushioning on each corner of the bag, so the contents of the bag are snug and unable to move. 

5. Once done, use packaging tape to secure the bag. Seal every opening and all seams. DO NOT use duct tape or any other kind of tape.

If you’re packaging longer or heavier golf clubs, you may have to take a few additional steps. For instance, if you’re packaging drivers, you have to consider their height. Their length can make them a lot more prone to damage. 

For starters, place their headcovers on them, so they stay protected. Then, you can also put a device called a stiff arm in your bag:

This is essentially an adjustable aluminum rod you put in your bag. The idea here is to adjust the stiff-arm so that it’s the longest item in your bag. This way, it will stick up higher than your driver and take all the impacts from potential collisions. 

If you don’t want to go through this hassle yourself, you can send your golf clubs to a nearby UPS location, and they’ll package and ship your golf clubs for you. 

How Much Does It Cost To Ship Golf Clubs With UPS?

The cost to ship golf clubs with UPS depends on how fast and how far you want to ship your golf clubs. To give you an idea, you can ship a standard golf club set (ground services) from New York to Los Angeles for approximately $95. This will include the “fuel surcharge” and “declared value.” The transit time for this delivery, according to UPS, will be four days. 

That said, you should also consider that the fuel surcharge increases based on the speed of your shipment. This factor is unique to UPS. Or maybe they’re the only ones who let their customers know about this lesser-known fact. 

For a shipment going from New York to Los Angeles (ground), the fuel surcharge can be somewhere around $6.36, while for Next Day Early AM shipping, the fuel surcharge can jump up to $59.09.

If you use UPS’s 3 Day Select Shipping for this scenario, they’re going to charge you $250, while Overnight shipping and Two-Day shipping can cost $444 and $360, respectively. UPS’s fastest shipping option is the Next Day Air Early AM, which can cost $480 for a shipment from New York to Los Angeles. 

Here’s a simpler break down of all the base prices:

CarrierService LevelPrice
UPSGround Shipping$100.42
UPS3 Day Select Shipping$188.92
UPS2nd Day Air Shipping$279.18
UPSNext Day Air Shipping$384.57

But What If I Want UPS to Pick Up Clubs From My Office or Home?

No need to worry! 

UPS also provides at-home pickup services with prices ranging between $5 and $12 (depending on your specific shipment needs). But here’s one important consideration you need to make:

It’s not mandatory that you have a UPS account to avail of this service. Instead, you can avail of the at-home pickup services at any speed you want to. Some of the options are: 

  • Ground
  • 3-Day Select
  • 2nd Day Air
  • Next Day Air
  • Next Day Air Early AM

On the other hand, other shipping companies that provide at-home pickup services require the customer to have an account number. If you don’t, you can’t avail of the service, which is why UPS wins in this category. 

That said, there is one major problem with the at-home pickup service. 

Even though UPS allows you to specify a time frame for the pickup, the driver can arrive anywhere in that time frame so you don’t get an exact time for the pickup.

What If Your Clubs Are Damaged or Lost In Transit?

Just like FedEx, UPS won’t offer any additional insurance coverage on your package. Instead, they offer coverage in the form of “declared value.” Even though declared value for UPS and FedEx is based on different philosophies, they are the same thing. 

What Is Declared Value for UPS?

Essentially, you declare what the objects are worth. According to UPS, this represents “UPS’s maximum liability for the package in the case of loss or damage. If no value is declared, UPS’s maximum liability for loss or damage to a package or international shipment is US $100 (or the equivalent in local currency).”

The price for the declared value coverage is determined by the value and the weight of the package. For instance, a 40-pound golf bag with a declared value of $1,500 will have a price of $13.50. 

Some other factors in the declared value policy you should pay attention to are: 

“As with any claim, you must prove the value of the merchandise, regardless of the value declared…”

“Claims may be denied for a number of reasons. Improper or inadequate packaging is one of the more common reasons for a claim denial…”

However, a less risky way or purchasing declared value coverage is from a UPS store with the “Pack and Ship Promise.” This basically means that the reimbursement will be more of a no-questions-asked scenario if they pack your shipment. 

Are There Any Limitations Regarding Where I Can Ship My Clubs?

Apart from P.O boxes, UPS can ship your clubs at any location in North America or any other populated or industrialized city in the world.

For your understanding, shipping your clubs from New York to the United Kingdom will cost you around $572. However, they do repeatedly point out that before you decide to ship your clubs to a location, you should call and confirm whether your desired delivery location receives packages from UPS. 

What If You’re Staying At a Hotel?

It shouldn’t be a problem if you’re shipping golf clubs with UPS. 

However, we do recommend you call the hotel and inquire about their shipping policies before you check-in.

Some hotels can refuse packages if the guests haven’t checked in yet. Some hotels can also charge a holding fee or a package processing fee. So even though it is generally a good idea to ship your golf clubs beforehand, these additional fees can add up! 

Finally, if you’re shipping your golf clubs to a hotel, ensure that you write the name of the package and your name on the label. Add a note which says, “Please keep for guest/pick up.”

The Takeaway – Shipping Golf Clubs WIth UPS

Showing up to your favorite golf course without your trusty golf clubs is any golfer’s worst nightmare.

If you’re trying to travel hassle-free without the added responsibility of lugging your golf clubs on the plane, you should consider shipping golf clubs with UPS. 

The information we’ve mentioned above should give you a great idea of the costs and the essential considerations you need to make.

But if you’re still confused, use this link to calculate the approximate time and cost for your package.

Even though it won’t give you a 100% accurate cost, it’ll give you a good estimate of the money you may have to spend to get your clubs safely to your destination.

You can also check out our article on shipping golf clubs with FedEx to see which provider best suits your needs.

Happy golfing!

Travis
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