Having just spent a week playing golf on Spain’s Costa del Sol I can vouch first hand at the worth of hiring a set of golf clubs from ClubstoHire.com

The thought of having to pay greedy airlines a fee to check-in golf clubs has long been a turnoff and particularly when travelling to destinations on the European Tour where you would like to be able to squeeze in a game of golf but in the end the thought of an extra luggage charge leads invariably to leaving the clubs at home.

So I got in contact with ClubstoHire.com.

Then upon arrival at Malaga Airport last Monday I actually found it easier to hire a set of clubs from ClubstoHire.com than arranging to pick up our rent-a-car for the week given the rent-a-car company concerned, namely Niza Rent-a-Car, had advised me while in transit to Malaga they had no cars available.

No such concern at the ClubstoHire.com with their desk staring right at you in the arrivals hall at Malaga Airport and much closer than any of the dozen or so rental car booths.

The staff were friendly and very accommodating and after the usual paperwork I was on my way in less than 15 minutes with a sparkling new set of TaylorMade clubs.

ClubstoHire.com – a must for any travelling golfer.

This was in stark contrast when observing the great number of people lining up in a dimly lit underground Malaga Airport car park waiting to up to pick up their rental cars.

Here’ is some key facts about ClubstoHire.com on why you not should pay airlines a fee to carry your own clubs back and forward to your next golfing holiday:-

• ClubstoHire.com was launched in July 2010;

• The company is based in Dublin and its directors are Tony Judge (CEO) and principal investor Gerry McKiernan;

• The online enterprise was conceived to help travelling golfers avoid the increasing cost of transporting their clubs on international flights as airlines, especially budget operators, began to charge additional luggage fees;

• Investor Paul McGinley, and 2014 European Ryder Cup captain, became its brand ambassador and introduced the concept to brands like TaylorMade and Callaway who agreed to discounts on sets of clubs in exchange for the shop window offered by the rental trial experience of thousands of travelling golfers;

• It began with a shop at Faro airport in Portugal, where more than three out of four tourists play golf;

• It’s estimated that since its launch, ClubstoHire.com has helped to save travelling golfers in Europe almost £1m in excess baggage charges;

• There’s also the convenience of not having to take the clubs to the airport and the oversized baggage section, or worrying about them being lost or damaged, plus the benefit of playing with the latest clubs from leading manufacturers;

• Sets of the latest golf clubs were on offer from TaylorMade, Callaway, Wilson Staff & MD Golf (Mizuno has been added in 2012 at Faro and the new Malaga airport shop opened this year);

• In 2012, the operation doubled its revenues and supplied 30,000 sets of clubs to golfers;

• This year, it re-launched its website and introduced a 32-page golfing break guide to help visitors to the Algarve find the best courses, restaurants and places to stay;

• There are now 16 locations where sets of clubs can be rented from as little as €35 per week:  Alicante; Barcelona; Belek; Faro; Girona; Gran Canaria, Tenerife; Isle of Man; Lisbon; Malaga;  Murcia; La Linea/Gibraltar; Palma, Majorca; Paphos, Aphrodite Hills;  as well as Edinburgh, the Isle of Man and Dublin.

• In June this year, ClubstoHire won the Vodafone Startup award for ‘Best Service’, heading a list of 400 companies that were considered by leading entrepreneurs and business owners.