Club Glove Stiff Arm Club Protector

The Club Glove Stiff Arm is a three-piece telescoping aluminum rod that stands taller than your driver inside a travel bag and takes the impact if the bag is dropped on its end.

Why it made the list

Most broken clubs in travel bags are drivers and fairway woods snapped near the head. That happens when a bag is dropped or stacked and the top of the bag folds down onto the longest clubs. A Stiff Arm stops that. You set it a little taller than your driver and stand it in the middle of your golf bag, so the rod, not the club head, carries the load.

Club Glove’s Stiff Arm is the best-known version. It’s a three-piece telescoping rod with a lightweight aluminum shaft, spring-loaded locking pins and a soft rubber foot cap, and it weighs 1.2 pounds.

What it does well

• It takes the impact of a drop so your driver head doesn’t
• Three telescoping sections adjust to fit different travel bag sizes
• Spring-loaded pins lock each section at the length you set
• A soft rubber foot cap protects the bottom of your golf bag
• It comes apart fully for storage

It’s cheap protection for clubs that cost hundreds of dollars each. If your travel bag didn’t come with one, it’s the first add-on to buy.

Who it’s for

It’s for anyone who checks a soft travel bag or a hard-top hybrid, and for anyone who has ever opened a travel bag to find a cracked hosel. It works with any travel bag on our list that doesn’t include one.

Who should skip it

Skip it if your travel bag already includes one, like the Club Glove Pro Traveler. It also adds little inside a full hard case that can’t fold onto the clubs.

Key specs, explained

The aluminum shaft keeps it light at 1.2 pounds, so it barely dents your checked bag allowance. The three sections slide together and lock with spring-loaded pins. Carl’s Golfland lists a nylon and plastic head on top and a soft rubber cap on the bottom. Club Glove doesn’t publish the minimum and maximum lengths, so test the fit against your driver at home.

How it compares

The Club Glove Pro Traveler Golf Travel Bag includes a Stiff Arm along with a TSA lock, so you don’t need this one if you buy that bag. Pair the Stiff Arm with the CaddyDaddy First Class Golf Travel Bag or the Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Travel Bag to match that level of protection for less.

Good to know

Club Glove sells the Stiff Arm for $35, and Carl’s Golfland had it for $29.95 when we checked. Club Glove’s product page says the Stiff Arm carries a 1-year limited warranty. Pack it so the top sits above your driver head but still lets the travel bag zip closed without strain.

Questions about the Club Glove Stiff Arm

How tall should I set a Stiff Arm?

Set it a little taller than your driver. That way the rod hits the top of the travel bag before the club head does.

Do I need a Stiff Arm with a hard case?

Usually not, because a full hard case doesn’t fold down onto the clubs. It’s most useful in soft and hard-top travel bags.

How much does the Club Glove Stiff Arm weigh?

It weighs 1.2 pounds. The aluminum shaft keeps it light.