Best Golf Travel Bags 2023

A quality travel bag is a must-have for the globetrotting golfer. Your clubs are your prized possessions and taking them away with you can always be a risk, so keep that risk as low as possible with these bags. At Golf Monthly we are all regular golfers and all manage to go on golf trips often and as such we have managed to test a lot of different models out there. Therefore we think we are in a good position to pick out the best golf travel bag whilst also giving you advice on the several things to consider. First they have to be strong and able to deal with the trials and tribulations of travel in planes, trains and automobiles. Strong materials, padding, and excellent construction are all vital with models like the Motocaddy, Titleist and Club Glove leading the way here.

Additionally maneuverability is a huge benefit too because awkward travel bags make everything more difficult. Ones that move easily with strong wheels are hugely important which makes the Sun Mountain a top choice. We also think it is good for travel bags to be easy to identify because you never know what can happen in an airport in terms of people accidentally taking your luggage or clubs. As such the Ogio Alpha is one of the best out there too. Without further ado let's get to the list. 

(Finally we also recommend taking a look at some of our other guides too, such as the best golf luggage, best golf bags, and the best golf tops.)

The Quick List

Want to cut to the chase and find out what the best golf travel bags? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices, and you can jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.

Best Golf Travel Bags

Best padding

A versatile travel bag that is perfect if you're looking for more protection for your golf clubs when traveling abroad. Motocaddy are well known for producing some of the best electric golf trolleys and best golf cart bags on the market and their experience in the industry, using top class materials, makes them one of the most trusted brands around. When we tested this bag out, we were very impressed with the protection it offered our clubs. The durable and padded nylon materials made it very protective and we were enamoured by the size of the bag.  Motocaddy resisted the temptation to make it too big and cumbersome and it is just the right size for all your gear and a pretty chunky bag. 

You'll also be able to fit a pair of the best golf shoes in there too and some clothing or apparel. One of the highlights of this bag was how easy it was to manoeuvre the bag around the airport thanks to the handy six-wheel design on the base of the bag. In addition, there are both internal and external straps that do a good job of holding your clubs tightly to the bag an addition that really put our mind at ease that our clubs wouldn't move around too much in the bag. There’s no doubt you’ll find more eye-catching flight bags on the market. However, this has a simple, understated but premium look that we liked and it did an excellent job of keeping our clubs well protected. 

• Read our full Motocaddy Flightsafe Travel Cover Review

Best maneuverability

The superbly-innovative ClubGlider from Sun Mountain will be your best friend when on a golf trip, featuring an integrated leg set that retracts easily and supports all the weight of the bag for easy wheeling on all surfaces. Just like the name suggests, it simply glides around the airport and takes away any stress from your back, arms and wrists for when maneuvering it. Additionally when we tested it we found the legs to be very sturdy, akin to many of the best Sun Mountain golf bags and the wheels roll excellently

The padding around the top of the bag is very thick and should mean that there are no accidents with your driver and fairway woods. The bag also comes with two spacious outside pockets, one on either side, that can easily house jackets, coats, jumpers or anything else you see fit to put in there for easy access. Inside the bag, there are two straps to keep your golf bag secured and there’s enough room for plenty more too. Overall we loved this model, it does cost a little bit more than some others on this list but it is well made, performs well, protects your clubs and makes travelling with clubs significantly easier which is a big plus. 

• Read our full Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Travel Cover Review

Editor's Choice pick

The VIP II Premium travel cover offers all the durable protection and ease of use of the Deluxe model, with a few extra features for added peace of mind - like additional padding around the top of the cover increases the layer of protection for the clubs, while an internal support strap keeps clubs secure during transit. We cannot stress how much of a difference these little design details make. As some of the best golf clubs can cost a lot of money you're going to want to ensure that your bag, like the Deluxe model on show here has a lot of protection on offer to keep them safe. 

Three heavy duty external straps provide a fail safe seal on the cover and lockable dual zips add a final level of security that makes this travel cover very good value for money. There is also plenty of space to throw in the clothing and footwear that didn’t make it into your suitcase. And to give you an idea of how much space there is, there’s enough to accommodate a 49-inch driver. We should also mention the price because despite having the word Premium in the name, it definitely comes at the value end of the price spectrum which is very appealing to us. 

• Read our full MacGregor VIP II Travel Cover Review

Best for pockets

A well-thought-out and user-friendly golf travel cover, the Ram FX is made from a very sturdy ripstop fabric with extra padding across key areas where the golf clubs would be. A large main compartment houses golf clubs and features one main strap to hold your clubs down once they are packed. 

Exterior pockets include one perfectly sized for a pair of the best golf shoes and a similarly sized pocket we found useful for packing accessories like some of the best golf socks and belts. Additionally it may seem like a small feature, but we really liked the blue accents on the outside of the bag because it made it very easy to spot when a deluge of golf travel bags get dropped off at the oversized baggage section in the airport. Overall with a lower RRP than some others on this list, this bag easily represents one of the best-value travel bags on the market.

• Read our full Ram FX Golf Travel Cover Review

Best value

The new Bag Boy T-660 features a wrap-around zipper that opens up the entire front of the travel cover. From there, you simply lay your golf bag in there and, unless it's oversized or severely overstuffed, we found it to be pretty easy to get in and out of the bag. What's more, when folded up and not in use, you can easily fit it into a small space behind the seat of your rental car when you're traveling, or put it in the corner of the trunk. The T-660 also weighs less than 6 pounds, so it's easy to maneuver when not in use and you can store it on a shelf at your house or in your garage without it taking up much space. 

There were other elements we liked in testing - for example it also has reinforced corners, a skid plate, skid bars, and a large front pocket at the bottom for your shoes or outerwear. It also comes with high quality inline skate wheels for smooth rolling. Last but not least we think the price, given the solid performance, offers excellent value, and if you're after more from this excellent brand, why not check out some of the excellent trolley options they have listed on our best push carts guide.

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

Most unique design

We are big fans of the Kube. It's an excellent innovation that not only serves its main purpose of protecting your clubs well in transit, but also allows you to collapse it down to a neat size smaller than the average cabin bag (23 x 33 x 38) when not in use via its clever foldaway system. It has a robust hard-case shell with two external and internal straps to keep everything secure on the inside. We also like the reinforced padded area at the clubhead end for added protection. 

The wheels glide well and the case is easy to move around thanks to the handle, not to mention it weighs just 3.08kg as well. Right now there are several colors to choose from so if the orange and grey isn't for you, you can also get it in navy, green/black as well as a pink/graphite finish. 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 durability

Featuring two premium skate wheels and a large carry handle, the Titleist Players Travel Cover is very functional and a safe home for your clubs. As your sticks can cost an arm and a leg, it pays to ensure you have the best golf luggage possible to relieve some of the stress of travelling abroad with your clubs. Having used the Titleist Players Travel Cover extensively, we were very impressed with the protection and quality it offered. The main compartment is 51" x 15" x 18.5" and housed my golf bag perfectly, plus you'll be able to store a few other bits and pieces like some of the best golf accessories. 

The bag also comes with a handy strap on the inside that'll hold your clubs in place and it's worth pointing out  that there would be ample space inside this bag for one of the best golf cart bags. But that additional storage space was great for us, as we could place our golf shoes inside the bag along side our clubs, without worrying about our suitcase being overweight. The bag does have a premium feel, but what's more is that it also comes with two premium skate wheels which operate very nicely in and around airports to help you transport your bag without straining too much to carry it. 

That is complimented by a very comfortable handle that is easy to grasp, hold and pull. One down side is that it comes in black only, which in fairness, is fitting for such a no-nonsense, high-quality product, yet may not appeal to those players looking to make a statement when they walk into the airport with their golf clubs. We love Titleist gear and this travel bag is no exception. It performs in every way you would want it to. While it is a fantastic travel bag, we recommend also taking a look at our best Titleist golf bags guide if you want to see some more of the top models in the brand's current range.

• Read our full Titleist Players Travel Cover Review

Best Tour model

This is the chosen travel partner of the likes of Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and literally hundreds of other tour stars. And if that is anything to go by then this is certainly a bag that will keep your clubs safe and secure. There are no fewer than 18 different color options and this premium collapsible bag accommodates even a 47” driver and pretty much any bag – if you are on tour, you might want an XL. In-line skate wheels mean you’ll be able to get around smoothly and quietly and there is an over-the-top zipper for easy loading. The three straps bring everything together and you should be able to pack plenty into this, from the best golf accessories to the best golf waterproofs.

Best color choice

The Ogio Alpha travel bag is a very roomy option that can store shoes, clothes, balls and still have space left over for a souvenir or two. With all of this equipment in it, we thought it might be overly cumbersome and heavy, but it was a fantastic lightweight option when lifting it into cars, or from an airport carousel. 

That makes it a great cover for golfers looking to put as little strain on their backs as possible and it features two strong wheels that make this bag very easy to maneuver and pull behind you while you're out walking. It features a skid plate on the bottom which protects the bag from any abrasions but is also made of a durable material that is well padded around your club heads for additional protection and structure. 

The D-shaped opening makes it easy to gain access to your clubs and the bag also features some handy compression straps which keep your clubs well secured inside the cover. The last thing to note is the eye-catching colors that the Ogio Alpha comes in. We tested out the Cover's 'Warp Speed' colorway and it was very easy to spot in the airport. But you can also get it in other colors like 'Terra Texture', 'Black', and 'Mid Haze'.

• 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. Our team usually attend product launches and then when it comes to our actual testing, we test products over a period of time that we can gauge the performance. For travel bags we do our best to use them when travelling which admittedly has been tricky over the past couple of years, but doing this allows to gauge performance in scenarios that you might face as well. It should also be mentioned that manufacturers cannot pay for a good review and we make our conclusions from the testing and our experiences. This is because 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

As your travel bag will help to protect your golf equipment, there are a variety of factors that you need to consider when looking to pick up a travel bag that's going to keep your clubs safe. So for that reason, we've outlined some key points that you're going to want to think about when you're purchasing your next travel cover. 

1. Strength/durability

Above all else, a travel bag has to protect your golf clubs properly as well as be able to put up with general wear and tear of travel. As a result, the bag should be made from strong, tear-resistant fabrics, and they should also have some features to protect the clubs on the inside of the bag too like compression straps on the inside and outside, along with foam padding around the top of the bag. The wheels should also be strong and move properly.

2. Weight

Given you will be moving the bag around, weight is very important, especially if a model only has two wheels. Here a fine balance has to be made between lightness and strength because you don't want to compromise on either. 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.

3. Maneuverability

Good models are also very easy to move around which means having 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. 

4. Warranty

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

5. Budget

Finally have a think about how much you want to spend on a golf travel bag. We think this is not an area to compromise on given they are designed to protect your golf clubs however we do think there are good models that don't have to cost an arm and a leg, as the above models show.

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.

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