There are some golf products that are absolutely worth the money. The Sun Mountain ClubGlider is one of them.
I won my first ClubGlider at a golf outing about five years ago in Florida. I wasn't entirely sure of what I was getting when I had it shipped to my home, but as soon as I unboxed it, I knew that golf travel had been made infinitely easier.
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The ClubGlider is a soft-sided golf travel bag with a unique stand-out feature: an encased, retractable second set of wheels that hinge out to make transporting the bag almost weightless.
Pulling out the ClubGlider's additional wheels is as simple as pulling down on their bar at the bottom of the bag and letting the kickstand hinge set them for use. From there, you just let the wheels hit the ground, grab the sturdy handle at the top of the bag, and start pulling. It truly feels like you're pulling next to nothing.
Getting the wheels back into the ClubGlider for transport on a plane or in the trunk of a car is a matter of standing up the bag, pulling that same bar out toward you, then letting the hinge bring the wheels back into the casing so they're flush with the bag.
The Sun Mountain ClubGlider 3, the latest edition, has improved padding on the sides of the bag to protect your clubs from a thoughtless TSA or airline bag handler. The moled padding, particuarly at the top of the bag, near where your club heads hang out of your golf bag, is more rigid and designed to absorb energy as your clubs might slosh around on their journey to your destination.
The bag's materials have also been improved, including a ripstop fabric that will hold up better to long-term use in all conditions. My original ClubGlider is still in fabulous shape 5 years later, though a tiny hole has punctured the outside fabric. The new model has a TPU laminate and DWR finish that keeps water out of your bag.
All of the zippers feature industrial-grade pulls and are sealed to prevent water from getting in the bag's pockets. The zippers glide open and closed with ease, which is a must. The ClubGlider also features multiple lateral buckle clips for a tighter fit inside the bag. There have been plenty of times that I've put more than just a golf bag in the ClubGlider, including a tripod, spare clothes, additional shoes and more. It works out great.
In the ClubGlider 3, there's also a TSA-approved lock that you can use to secure your bag, and there's a pocket to drop in an AirTag or similar tracker.
Even without the wheels, the ClubGlider would be a great soft-side travel bag. There's two deep, long pockets on each side of the bag. I usually put a golf shoe in each of them, though sometimes I throw in a dozen golf balls if I need them. There are also internal pockets for additional storage.
Every single time I go through an airport with my ClubGlider, someone asks me about it -- typically as they're about to simultaneously lug a traditional golf travel bag. Sun Mountain could sell a zillion of these things if they just set up shop in busy airport terminals in golf destinations and demonstrate the bags for frustrated travelers.
But you're not buying the ClubGlider to get attention or to become part of Sun Mountain's unofficial sales force. You're buying the ClubGlider because it makes golf travel so much more pleasant.
That 60 minutes per trip where you're dragging your clubs around -- from the parking lot to the check-in counter, from the baggage claim to your transportation, into the trunk of a car, into and out of your accommodations -- can be one of the most annoying parts of traveling with your golf clubs.
With the ClubGlider, though, that time is no longer marred by the balancing act of transporting golf clubs while rolling a suitcase or carrying a duffel bag -- and usually a backpack, too. It all happens with ease.
The ClubGlider 3 is expensive. It's $450. However, it is worth every penny. It makes your life so much easier as a golf traveler and stands the test of time. If you are take your sticks with you when you travel, even just once per year, this bag will be worth it.
The Sun Mountain ClubGlider 3 is available in eight colors, and the easiest way to get it is through the Sun Mountain website.
