The original purpose of luggage straps really had nothing to do with personalization. As I’m sure you’re aware, your luggage can take a lot of abuse getting from point A to point B. As it whisks down conveyor belts, is thrown from truck to plane, and makes its way back again, there’s a good chance that it will become damaged. At the very least, the travel process puts great stress on your luggage’s zippers and clasps. Nothing is worse than seeing your luggage slide onto the carousel hanging open with everything you’ve packed on display. Plus, who knows what you might have lost along the way?

Luggage straps were invented to wrap securely around your bags to keep them from popping open. These straps, usually made of nylon or leather, could be cinched up tightly to keep your bag closed in case of a fastener failure. And they usually accomplished this job very well.  Some companies took to adding locks to the strap closure, but this was kind of comedic, since any self-respecting luggage thief will use a knife to slice the straps right off. I suppose it keeps the honest people honest.

But I digress. The great new use of luggage straps is to mark your bags uniquely and make them easy to spot at baggage claim. Straps with neon colors or outlandish designs allow you to purchase standard, functional luggage and then dress it up on the outside making it easier to find.

Golf travel bags vary a great deal, from basic models that are not much more than glorified duffle bags to expensive, complex golf travel systems that protect your clubs from any conceivable mishap. So how do you choose the best golf travel bag for your next journey?

First of all, you want to find a solution that large enough to handle your gear, but small enough to keep your travel easy. You never know how much help you can count on at your destination, so you want to get something you can handle yourself. This includes straps and handles to hold the bag, wheels to roll it along, and the overall weight once you get your clubs and other golf gear inside. If you throw your back out manhandling your bag through the airport, you won’t get to play much golf, will you?

You might be surprised to know that many golf pros opt for a soft-side bag. There’s nothing at all wrong with soft-side golf travel bags as long as they have enough internal padding to protect your equipment. Make sure you get wheels, extra pockets and lots of heavy-duty zippers.

Hard-side golf travel bags provide extra protection when traveling long distances. You might want to consider this option if you are taking your clubs to international destinations, or you travel to locations that involve lots of transfers and plane changes.

Hybrid bags are an excellent choice because it combines the travel bag with the golf course bag. In other words, you can go straight from baggage claim to the course without having to unpack.