Best Golf Travel Bags 2024

Golf clubs and equipment are expensive so if you are someone who enjoys golf breaks abroad or who likes to play a round or two while you're away on your summer holiday, a quality travel bag is a must-have item of kit. You may not use it very often, but that doesn't reduce its importance. We've all heard those horror stories from fellow golfers of clubs being bent or broken by careless airport staff, and there are numerous videos out there showing airport staff flinging bags of clubs about. So any time you take your clubs with you when you travel there is a risk they can be damaged, so you need to minimize that risk with a travel bag that is sturdy as well as spacious.

At Golf Monthly we are all regular golfers and we often go on golf trips, so between us we have managed to test a lot of the different golf travel bags which are out there and we are therefore in a good position to pick out the best ones as well as giving you some pointers on what to look for when you buy one.

Primarily they need to be strong and sturdy enough to cope with the trials and tribulations of travel in planes, trains and automobiles. Baggage handlers are not going to know (and in many cases care) if you have a prized Scotty Cameron putter in your bag or if you have just invested big bucks on the best driver to hit the market that year. You need to ensure you are taking every possible precaution to look after your gear, so strong materials, padding, and excellent construction are all essential. Motocaddy and Titleist excel in these areas.

Maneuverability is another important factor because a cumbersome travel bag makes life much more difficult, especially when you're also having to juggle a suitcase and hand luggage. You need something you can wheel around effortlessly and that can handle corners too. So travel bags with strong wheels are the way to go and Sun Mountain is a top choice in that category. Another under-rated factor that people don't give enough thought to is that you want a bag that is easy to recognize, otherwise you risk somebody accidentally taking your luggage or clubs because their bags look the same as yours, or indeed vice versa. The Ogio Alpha solves this issue, but there are plenty of other models out there with distinctive designs. If you do have a fairly uniform design then think about adding a colorful ribbon or something to the handle to make it easy to stop in baggage claim.

The Quick List

Best Golf Travel Bags

Top pick

Our top pick is the VIP II Premium travel cover from MacGregor, which in our view is the best all round option. It's very durable and offers good protection as well as ease of use. and it's packed with useful features to bring added peace of mind. One such feature is the additional padding around the top of the cover which increases the layer of protection for the clubs. It also has an internal support strap to keep clubs secure during transit, and we cannot stress enough just how much of a difference these little design details make. The best golf clubs cost a lot of money so you need a bag that offers a a lot of protection, and the VIP II Premium does just that.

Something else we liked about this bag were the three heavy duty external straps which provide a fail safe seal on the cover. Additionally you have the lockable dual zips to provide extra security to prevent would be thieves pilfering your clubs or accessories. Finally, there is extra space for clothing and footwear which is important because it will free up more room in your main suitcase and allows you to house all of your golf gear in the one place. The most impressive aspect about this bag though is its value. The price is at the value end of the market yet this is certainly a premium product, so you can't go wrong with this offering from MacGregor.

• Read our full MacGregor VIP II Travel Cover Review

Best with wheels

When it comes to getting around the airport smoothly the superbly-innovative ClubGlider from Sun Mountain is just the job. An integrated leg set that retracts easily and supports all the weight of the bag for a smooth ride on any surface makes life so much easier when you're trying to get through a busy airport while managing a case and hand luggage as well as your clubs. As the name suggests, the four wheels will glide around the airport which sure beats carrying!

We found when we tested this bag that having a free wheeling option that can effortlessly be pulled around really reduces stress on the back, arms and wrists. We also found the legs to be very sturdy, something that we've come to expect from the best Sun Mountain golf bags, and the way the wheels roll so smoothly made this a pleasure to move around the airport. We also noted that the padding around the top of the bag is nice and thick, which is what you need to ensure that extra protection for your driver and fairway woods, which are the most vulnerable clubs in the bag when travelling.

It has two spacious outside pockets - one on either side - which offer ample storage for items such as jackets, jumpers, coats, shoes, rangefinders or anything else you might want to put in there to save space in your suitcase. Two straps inside the bag will keep your golf bag secured and although it does cost a little bit more than some others on this list, we really loved this bag. It's premium quality, very well made and it protects your clubs well to make golfing abroad significantly easier and less stressful.

• Read our full Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Travel Cover Review

Best padding

Motocaddy are best known for producing some of the best electric golf trolleys and best golf cart bags so it probably comes as no surprise that they are amongst the market leaders in this category too. When we tested this bag we were more than satisfied with the protection it offered our clubs. This is due to the durable and padded nylon materials which ensure that clubs can take quite a buffering without suffering any damage.

The thing we liked most about this bag was the size, as Motocaddy have resisted the temptation to make it too big and cumbersome. We feel they have found just the right balance as is just the right size to house all of your gear as well as any sized golf bag you choose to carry, even a chunky sized cart bag. While no space is wasted and there are bigger bags on the list, there is still plenty of room for other items too, such as extra clothing, waterproofs or a pair of the best golf shoes.

We also loved how easy it was to manoeuver the bag around the airport thanks to a handy six-wheel design on the base. Meanwhile, internal and external straps do a solid job of holding your clubs securely to the travel bag. This is especially important as most damage to clubs in transit is caused when they move around too much in the bag. There may be more eye-catching flight bags on the market but aesthetically we feel that this has an understated, simple yet premium look which we liked. Primarily though it does a great job in keeping clubs safe and sound during transit.

• Read our full Motocaddy Flightsafe Travel Cover Review

Best for airlines

The Bag Boy T-660 is ideal for the frequent flyer and it really blew us away in testing. The levels of performance were seriously impressive. To start with, there's a wrap-around zipper that opens up the entire front of the travel cover making it very simple to just lay your golf bag down in there before fastening it up again. Getting it in and out couldn't be more straightforward.

When we tested this bag we found that there was a lot to like about it. It's rammed with useful little features such as skid bars, a skid plate, reinforced corners plus a large front pocket which can be used for things like shoes, jackets or extra apparel. In terms of getting it around the airport, the T-660 comes with high quality inline skate wheels for a smooth roll, making it ideal for when you have to cover a fair distance through busy crowds to reach your check in.

We found it to be lightweight yet strong, which combined with the excellent wheels make it easy to move around, while the sturdiness on offer means you won't need to worry about it being broken by heavy handed airline staff. It's competitively priced too, making it an ideal option for the golfer who uses the airport a lot.

One final point is that when folded it will easily fit into a small space and when not in use you can store it on a shelf at your house or in your garage without it taking up much room.

• Read our full Bag Boy T-660 Travel Cover Review

Best hard case

We love Sun Mountain products so it's no surprise that we are big fans of the Kube. It's an excellent innovation that not only fulfils its main purpose of protecting your clubs during transit, but its clever foldaway system means it can be collapsed down to a neat size for easy storage. In fact, it's smaller than the average cabin bag (23 x 33 x 38).

The protection on offer is impressive as a robust hard-case shell combines well with two external and internal straps to keep your clubs in place, while a reinforced padded area at the top end provides even more protection, especially for the most vulnerable clubs in the bag such as the driver and fairways.

In testing we noticed that the wheels glide nicely across the floor while the handle of the case makes it very easy to move around and to lift when necessary. It also helps that it's very lightweight, coming in at just 3.08kg/6.6lbs. You also have a variety of color options from which to choose, including navy, green/black, orange/grey and pink/graphite. Sun Mountain make many fantastic products, especially when it comes to bags which is why we created a best Sun Mountain golf bags guide too.

Best budget

In terms of value we think the the Ram FX is very hard to beat. It's a well-thought-out and user-friendly golf travel cover made from a very sturdy ripstop fabric that offers good protection for clubs and excellent durability. Extra padding across key areas where the golf clubs are housed really aids that protection, while clubs are held securely in place thanks to a strap in the large main compartment.

We found there to be ample storage in the exterior pockets, one of which is perfectly sized to store a pair of shoes, while we used the other similarly sized pocket to house things such as spare golf socks and belts as well as other nik-naks that would otherwise have had to go in our main case or hand luggage.

Another small thing we liked when we put this bag to the test on our travels is that it has blue accents on the side of the bag, which may not seem important but was actually invaluable to us as it made the bag very easy to spot even though there was a deluge of golf travel bags on the oversized baggage section in the airport.

• Read our full Ram FX Golf Travel Cover Review

Best durability

The Titleist Players Travel Cover is an excellent choice from a brand you can trust. It's a high quality, high performing travel bag that we really enjoyed testing. It features two premium skate wheels and a large carry handle that makes it very easy to move around and to pick up when required. We tested this product extensively and were most impressed by the protection and quality on offer thanks to the durable polyester fabric which was able to handle with ease the various bumps and scrapes that happen during transit.

There is a handy strap on the inside to hold your clubs securely in place as well as ample room inside for one of the best golf cart bags. Of course if you are travelling light with a stand bag or even a pencil bag then you will have even more room inside. This proved to be ideal for us as we were able to place golf shoes as well as other apparel inside the bag with our clubs which allowed us to save weight in our suitcase.

The only potential down side is that it only comes in black. This does not bother us as it still looks the part and we like the no-nonsense aesthetic, but it won't appeal to the golfer who likes to make a statement when they walk into the airport with their golf clubs. There are other bags on this list to fulfil that requirement though. Still, plain black travel bags can be tricky to identify on baggage claim so we would advise adding stickers or tying a brightly colored ribbon to the handle to help to identify your bag from the rest.

• Read our full Titleist Players Travel Cover Review

Best color choice

If you are one of the aforementioned golfers that likes to stand out from the crowd and make a statement with their gear, this is the bag for you. Ogio is a brand known for its bold color schemes and high fashion in their golf bags so it stands to reason they would look to make a similar splash with their travel bags too.

While the main story here is the striking aesthetics, it would be remiss of us not to point out that there's much more to this bag than just the loud colors and striking patterns. The Ogio Alpha travel bag impressed us a lot in testing. It has tons of space and can store clothes, balls, shoes while still having enough room left to house a souvenir or two!

We packed all of this equipment in and put it through some rigorous testing. We expected it to be somewhat cumbersome and heavy but we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was much lighter than expected when lifting it into cars or picking it up off an airport carousel.

We would therefore suggest that this is an excellent travel bag for the golfer who wants to put as little strain on their backs as possible. It's great for pulling around too as it has two strong wheels which make it easy to maneuver in and out of crowds and around corners. There's a skid plate on the bottom which protects the bag from any abrasions while a durable material with extra padding around the club heads offers additional protection.

There's a D-shaped opening which makes for easy access to your clubs while we really liked the handy compression straps which kept our clubs well secured inside the cover. Despite all this functionality though, clearly the main selling point of this travel bag - and indeed most Ogio bags - is the is the eye-catching colors available. We tested the 'Warp Speed' colorway and as you would expect it was very easy to spot in the airport, but there are other color options too, including like 'Terra Texture' and 'Mid Haze' which also really stand out from the crowd.

• Read our full Ogio Alpha Travel Cover Mid Review

Specifications table

How we test

Our testing for golf gear is built upon a comprehensive process combined with the knowledge and expertise of the Golf Monthly test team. We take great pride in the quality of our product reviews and our team usually attend product launches whenever possible so we can speak to manufacturers and learn about the latest technology and features on offer. When it comes to our actual testing, we test products over a period of time so that we can properly assess the performance in different situations. For travel bags specifically, we do our best to use them when travelling whenever possible because this allows us to judge the products' performance in real life scenarios that you might face as well. We must stress that manufacturers cannot pay for a good review and that our conclusions are based on our own testing and experiences. We strive to give the best reviews possible so you can get a greater understanding of the products themselves.

How to choose a golf travel bag

When looking to pick up a travel bag that's going to keep your clubs safe there are several factors you should consider. Here, we've outlined some things for you to think about when you're purchasing your next travel cover to ensure you get maximum value for your money as well as a product that meets your needs.

1. Strength/durability/materials

This is stating the obvious, but above all else a travel bag has to protect your golf clubs properly from the general wear and tear of travel. That is its primary focus and if it can't do that then it's pretty useless. A travel bag therefore needs to be made from strong, tear-resistant materials, and must also have features to protect the clubs on the inside of the bag too. Things like compression straps on the inside and outside, along with foam padding around the top of the bag are essential. The wheels should also be strong and move properly, because the last thing you need in a packed airport is a broken wheel and a travel bag that you have to drag across the floor.

2. Maneuverability

The best models are very easy to move around and have wheels that slide well and can change direction properly. From a luggage perspective we would recommend four-wheels but with travel bags two-wheels work well because they can be laid on the ground easily.

3. Weight

Given you will be moving the bag around, weight is very important, especially if a model only has two wheels. There is a fine balance between weight and strength because you don't want to compromise on either. Sacrificing strength to save on a bit of weight is counter productive, but equally you don't want something that is essentially bulletproof but weighs a ton! Some of the best lightweight golf bags weight literally next to nothing when stored away in a very easy to carry travel bag, so make sure to think about that when purchasing your next cover.

4. Warranty

This is definitely a factor to consider if, god forbid, your clubs and golf gear are damaged or broken. We would recommend checking with retailers and manufacturers themselves to see how long they offer on warranties. Obviously the longer the warranty the better!

5. Budget

This can be a tricky one so you should think long and hard about how much you want to spend on a golf travel bag. You may not want to spend much as it's not something you will use very often, but we do not think this is an area to compromise on given how important it is to prevent your clubs getting damaged. Nevertheless, there are good models that don't have to cost an arm and a leg as you can see above. For more advice on the best golf bags on the market, take a look at our guides to the best golf travel bags for under $100, best golf pencil bags and best golf cart bags.

FAQs