If you really like to play golf, you probably like to spend a good portion of your vacation on the golf course. And with all of the outstanding golf courses that are available around the world, there is plenty for the avid golfer to choose from. But a common problem that may face many golfers when they travel is how to take their golf clubs with them.

Unless you're planning on playing at a course that is nearby, you will most likely have to fly to your destination. And unfortunately, airlines will not allow you to bring your golf clubs with you as carry-on luggage. So most likely you'll have to check your clubs with the regular baggage instead, and here is where a lot of damage can take place due to rough handling in the baggage area.

Obviously then, you're going to need to have some form of protection for your clubs when you fly. One way to do this is to get a golf travel bag that is specifically designed for transporting your golf clubs. Generally speaking, these golf travel bags come in two varieties, either hard or soft.

The hard golf travel bag is the most expensive, often costing several hundred dollars. However, it is also your best line of defense against rough baggage handling. These hard cases are almost indestructible, and they provide an excellent barrier of protection for your expensive clubs. If you find that you travel quite a bit on golf packages to distant locations, the investment in a hard golf travel bag can be well worth it in the long run.

The soft golf travel bag is much less expensive than the hard variety, but as you can imagine, it also does not afford quite the same level of protection that is found in the rigid golf travel bag. However, it will usually stand up to all but the roughest of treatment.

Some golfers also feel that shipping their clubs to the golf package destination may be a better choice than just trusting it to baggage handlers on an airline. If you choose to do this, it will still probably be a very good idea to use a golf travel bag in the packing procedure too. And make sure that your destination hotel will be able to accept the shipment of your golf clubs before your arrival.

Besides protecting your clubs from exterior damage during travel, it's also a smart idea to protect them against each other while they're being transported. As a golf bag is moved and tossed around the clubs inside often bang against each other and sometimes can cause damage to the club faces which can affect their usefulness.

A good way to prevent damage from clubs as they travel is to buy a good set of clubhead covers so that if the clubheads do bang against each other, the only material that will actually touch are the covers themselves, which are usually made a fairly soft material. Another good investment to help protect your golf shafts as you travel is to buy a set of plastic shaft covers to fit inside your golf bag. These do a good job of keeping your clubs in place in the bag, and not allowing the shafts to clang against each other and perhaps even cause damage.

Traveling to a golf vacation package getaway is an exciting, enjoyable adventure. And if you follow the tips listed above you should be able to take your golf clubs along with you and keep them safe as you travel.