How to Hire Golf Clubs in Scotland: The Complete Guide for Visitors

Flying to Scotland with your own clubs isn't always a mistake. Sometimes it is. If you're on a one-week trip playing four or five courses, the numbers rarely work in your favour — between airline fees, the risk of damage, and dragging a travel bag through hotels, hiring on arrival is usually easier and often cheaper.

This is what I'd tell a visitor.

The three ways to hire

1. Pre-book a hire set delivered to your hotel or course. Companies like GolfGearHire, GolfingToYou and a handful of smaller outfits will deliver a set to where you're staying for the duration of your trip. You get the same clubs for the whole week. Cost is typically £120–£200 for seven days.

2. Hire at the course, one round at a time. Most visitor-friendly courses offer club hire at the pro shop. Expect £30–£60 a round for a full set, sometimes less for a half set. Brands vary wildly — some places have current-year TaylorMade or Callaway, others have sets that were current when Tiger was winning.

3. Hire from a golf shop near the airport. Less common than it used to be. A few operators around Edinburgh and Glasgow airports will do same-day pick-up. Useful if you land and play the same afternoon.

What's usually included

Most hire sets include:

• A full 14-club set (driver, 3-wood or hybrid, irons, wedges, putter)
• A stand bag or cart bag
• Sometimes a glove and a sleeve of balls as a starter

What's usually not included:

• Buggy hire (that's course-by-course, typically £25–£40)
• Trolley hire (£5–£10 at most courses)
• Waterproofs (bring your own — you will need them)
• Shoes (a few premium courses loan them; most don't)

Left-handed and ladies' sets

Both are available but in shorter supply. If you're a lefty or want a ladies' flex, book ahead rather than assuming the pro shop will have something on the day. At smaller clubs, "left-handed set" sometimes means one sad 5-iron and a putter.

What to check before you commit

Three things save the most grief.

Grips. Ask for photos. A hire set with worn grips will ruin your week faster than the weather.

Delivery timing. If you're arriving on a morning flight and playing that afternoon, confirm the set will be at the course or hotel before you need it. Scottish courier timelines get loose the further north you go.

Loss and damage policy. Most companies charge for broken shafts and lost clubs. Read the small print. If you're flying out the same morning you finish, leave time to hand them back properly.

When flying with your own clubs still makes sense

• You're playing more than about eight rounds in the trip.
• You have a custom-fit set you can't replicate with a hire.
• You're playing one of the Opens in a matchplay format and need to be familiar with every club.
• Your airline doesn't charge for sports equipment (increasingly rare).

For anything under a week of golf, hiring almost always wins.

What it really costs

Here's a realistic estimate for a visitor on a five-round trip:

| Option | Cost | Hassle | |---|---|---| | Fly with own clubs, premium airline bag fee | £200–£300 return + risk of damage | High | | Delivered hire set (7 days) | £140–£180 | Low | | Course-by-course hire | £150–£300 | Medium |

Delivered hire is the sweet spot for most visitors. Course-by-course can actually end up more expensive once you realise the premium courses charge premium rates for hire too.

Where to book

The main national operators change their pricing seasonally, so check current rates before committing. Ask your hotel — many of them have a preferred hire partner and can arrange delivery as part of the booking.

If you're not sure what level of set to hire, the mid-range option (sometimes sold as "premium" — about £25 more than "standard") is usually worth it. The jump in playability is noticeable. The jump from premium to tour-grade rarely is.

Now go find a tee time.