Since your vacation includes a few rounds at the golf course, you may want to use your own set of golf clubs. You can rent them at most resorts but they may not be as comfortable as your own set and may even hinder your game. Once you’ve decided to bring your own equipment, there are several things to consider. If you are concerned about protecting your golf clubs from damage during flight, here are a few tips and tricks which should help ensure that they arrive safely.

Clean out your golf bag and get rid of any old items you won’t be using. Refresh with new towels, balls, tees, gloves and so on.

If you don’t already have a golf travel bag or case, then you’ll need to invest in one. There are basically two types of golf travel bags, soft and hard.

The soft golf cases are less expensive and will not adequately protect your paraphernalia against rough handling unless you pack right, and even then there’s a chance of damage to your golf clubs. If you opt for a soft travel case, it’s best to wrap the club heads with a cover and keep them in your regular golf bag. Put that inside the travel case along with some clothing and/or shoes. You can also pack sunscreen lotion, extra balls, tees, gloves, markers and any other accessories you may need on the course, thereby keeping everything in one place.

The hard golf cases are practically indestructible. These bags will set you back a few hundred dollars but they are what the professionals use when they travel and will definitely protect against damage. Although it is said that they will survive a 30,000 foot fall out of an airplane, I haven’t personally tried to put one through a tree shredder but be that as it may, they are the best choice if you own an expensive set of clubs.

If you own a deluxe set of golf clubs, you may want to check with your homeowner’s insurance beforehand to get extra coverage. Airlines may not cover the entire amount in case of loss or damage.

Don’t miss your flight! Get to the airport early enough so that your bags can be properly checked. Be sure to allow extra time just in case your golf bag has to be searched.

Sometimes, even with the best preparation, things do happen. It’s wise to plan for potential mishaps by bringing enough money to pay for golf club rentals just in case the airline does lose your bag.

Have a wonderful vacation and see you at the course!

To have a successful golf game, you need to swing through the ball rather than at the ball. If you focus on the ball instead of the target, you’ll likely hit the ball but fail to swing through. While you can look at the ball while swinging, it is important that you keep the target in your minds eye at all time. Swinging through the ball will help you to drive the golf ball farther.

When swinging, your goal should not be to hit the ball. Instead, swing as if the ball just happens to be there. Put yourself in the correct stance and practice swinging without a ball. You should be making the same motions when you have a ball in front of you.

Some golfers, when trying to swing through the ball, make the mistake of hitting the ball too hard. Swinging with all of your force is not the way to swing through the ball. You will not get the ball to your target. The only thing you’ll likely get is a hurt back. Keeping good form throughout your swing will give you better contact with the ball and this will help you drive the golf ball farther.

One thing that can prevent you from swinging through the ball is an incorrect stance. It is important to relax the body when you are playing golf. Tense shoulders commonly ruin golfers’ swings. It will prevent you from making a smooth and wide arc. It is perhaps easiest to perfect the tensionless stroke by doing practice swings without balls. When you don’t have to worry about the ball, you are able to focus more on your body. Once you understand how to swing with a relaxed form, you can carry that over to your actual driving practice and then golf game.

If you are still having trouble swinging through, slow down. Practice your swing in a slow and smooth fashion. Don’t pause at the top, but keep one steady motion. Doing this can help you focus more on your swing and less on hitting the ball. After you get the correct motion, try the correct speed and then try it at a driving range.

Once you stop seeing golf as a game where you hit a ball and instead see it as a way to swing towards a target, your golf game will improve and you’ll drive the golf ball farther and straighter.