Leaderboard: Worst Checked Golf Bag Mishaps

A professional golfer showing up at a tournament without clubs is like bunkers without sand or caddies without a pin sheet. It isn’t going to end well. As anyone who has checked a golf bag on an airplane knows, sometimes it doesn’t show up on the other end as scheduled. We’ve ranked the worst disasters and near disasters resulting from a checked golf bag not showing up for big tournaments:

  • 1. Rory Mcllroy – World No 1 (2014)

    Back in 2014 Rory lost his clubs on the way to Ireland to take part in his home Irish Open.

    After finishing T23rd in the US Open just days prior Mcllroy finally received his clubs hours before his first round. No surprise then he subsequently missed the cut. Flight was Newark, N.J., to Dublin, Ireland.

  • 2. Graham DeLaet – Try get to the Old Course St Andrews for his first Open Championship (2015)

    Rising Canadian star Graham DeLaet who was making his first appearance at The British Open and visit to The Home of Golf, St Andrews was left a little ‘shaken’ when his club’s never made it to baggage claim.

    Instead after finally retrieving his golf bag it was to his amazement he discovered his enclosed protein powder shake had exploded throughout his Club Glove travel case giving his club’s a nice white dusting for the week. The star had flown to Scotlandwith Irish budget airline Aer Lingus after his annual charity tournament in support of The Children’s Wish Foundation. DeLeat’s week went from bad to worse ending the tournament with a 75 in a tie for 68th.

  • 3. Augusta With No Clubs For Russell Henley (2015)

    Your making your only second visit to what many golfers perceive to be the pinnacle in golf, The Masters off the back of a 4th position at the Shell Houston Open the week before, with no clubs.

    The clubs eventually appeared and without any significant practice rounds Henley produced a strong T21 finish. Flight Houston – Atlanta with United Airlines/


  • >4. LPGA Star Stacy Lewis Loses Golf Clubs Before British Open at Turnberry (2015)

    World No.3 at the time a hot favorite going into the week, Stacy Lewis was made to call in a few favors to ensure her clubs were delivered in time for the 39th Women’s British Open at Trump Turnberry. “The amount of travel, it’s bound to happen,” said Lewis of lost baggage. “But mentally, just having those clubs last night, I mean, I slept a lot better just knowing that I could play today and not have to worry about it.” American Lewis finished T17th. 


    Flew British Airways from US via Heathrow Terminal 5 to Glasgow.


  • It probably goes without saying that these scary scenarios can all be avoided by shipping golf clubs with Luggage Forward. In addition to promising the lowest price of any comparable service, we created the world’s first double money back on-time guarantee. Now that’s the way to travel with peace of mind knowing that your clubs will be waiting for you…not the other way around!

Let’s Get Started

Get instant, all-inclusive rates to ship luggage on your next trip.