This is the first column in a new series designed to help golfers travel better. Golfweek already provides the ultimate in golf course evaluations and ratings, but Traveling Under Par aims to provide you with everything you need to know for the time between leaving home and reaching the first tee.
After booking a golf trip, everyone hopes for blue skies, firm fairways, on-time flights and traffic-free roadways, but the reality of golf travel is usually not that perfect. A lot can go wrong on your way to the course, which is why planning ahead, packing the right things and being prepared can make or break your trip.
The Canadian Rockies are one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, and the 98-year-old Stanley Thompson course at the Fairmont
Banff Springs in Alberta ranks No. 2 on Golfweek’s 2026 Best in Canada and T-37 on Golfweek’s Top 100 International Courses. The conditions, however, demand preparation, especially in September when I recently visited the resort.
Rather than pack for one forecast, I brought clothing and gear that could handle several versions of the trip, ranging from ideal to the nightmare we all want to avoid.
What if it rains?
When in doubt, make sure you bring waterproof golf shoes on your trip, and ideally, they should be comfortable and go with anything you might wear. That’s why my footwear on this trip was a pair of white FootJoy Premiere Series Field golf shoes.
When the course is 20 minutes from home and you know it’s going to be sunny, you can grab lightweight, water-resistant shoes and know you’re good, but if you’re flying across a continent to play, hoping the ground stays dry is a strategy that even Jean Van de Velde would frown upon.
Rain before my first round at Fairmont Banff Springs left the course damp, but the Field shoes kept my feet dry while the spikes supplied traction on wet turf. Waterproof, spiked footwear may be slightly heavier, but on a trip like this, reliability matters more than saving a few ounces, and going with all-white meant that no matter what I was going to wear, my footwear would match.
Staying warm or cooling off
I packed an old white, long-sleeve L.L. Bean base layer top, two breathable Johnnie-O printed polo shirts, a cotton Johnnie-O hoodie, a black Patagonia fleece and a waterproof FootJoy jacket. The pieces could be blended or combined in different ways as the temperatures and conditions changed, making everything multifunctional.
Two pairs of Peter Millar golf pants, one navy and one gray, and a pair of khaki Puma golf pants worked on the course and around the resort. I avoid cotton shirts and pants on the course because if cotton gets wet, it stays wet. Modern golf pants, which are made from synthetic materials, stretch and breathe, making them perfect for the course and for travel. In neutral colors, they pair with nearly everything and even looked appropriate at dinner. Clothing that can do two jobs earns its space in my suitcase.
My luxury item was a B. Draddy cashmere hoodie. Cashmere is expensive, but it is also light, warm and easy to dress up or down. Take care of it and you’ll enjoy it for years. I wore the hoodie flying from Connecticut to Calgary, during my first round at Banff Springs and on the flight home.
While the Stanley Thompson course was damp for my first round, it wasn’t raining when I played but the temperature was in the low 50s. I wound up not needing the rain jacket, but that did not make bringing it a mistake. Like your mother used to say, “It’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and wished you had it.”
For my second round, on the Tunnel Mountain 9, early clouds lifted and the sun shined on snow-capped mountains. Layers were on at the start but came off throughout the morning. That was the plan and it worked perfectly.
Tracking your stuff
The United app showed that my golf bag and suitcase were loaded in Denver and again for Calgary. That feature, by itself, would not persuade me to spend hundreds more for a ticket on a premium airline, but it was certainly welcome reassurance.
My clubs traveled to Canada in a red Club Glove Pro Traveler. Most luggage is black, so I got my golf travel bag in red to make it easy to spot in a crowded baggage area. After I didn’t see it on the carrousel in Calgary and learned it would be unloaded in an oversized baggage area, I spotted it from about 50 yards away. I also love that the Pro Traveler comes with a Stiff Arm that extends above the clubs and absorbs punishment to keep my driver safe.
Just to be safe, I keep an Apple AirTag inside my golf bag at all times, even at home. I keep an AirTag in my luggage too. If my luggage doesn't get on my plane, I can find it quickly and give information to the airline so my stuff can be found more quickly.
My golf shoes travel with my clubs. Airlines allow this, and my logic is simple: If the airline loses my clubs, I won’t need my golf shoes, so why have them take up space in my suitcase? I packed a dozen balls and a new glove go in the travel bag too. Resort pro shops are wonderful places to browse for a cool stuff to take home, but they are expensive places to discover that you forgot golf balls or gloves.
Never lose power
My itinerary included a four-hour flight to Denver, a three-hour flight to Calgary and a one-hour shuttle bus ride to Banff. Outlets and plugs are everywhere in airports and airplanes, and outlets in Canada are the same as those in the United States, so I didn’t need a converter, but anyone who travels regularly has been frustrated after sitting down and discovering a nearby power outlet doesn’t work.
I travel with an Anker 737 Power Bank. I have used it for years and while it's heavy and not something you’d want to carry in your pocket, but it’s fine in a backpack. The unit has two USB-C ports, one USB-A port and a small display showing its remaining power. It can power up my iPhone several times or recharge my iPad or a laptop easily. Remember: Power banks and portable batteries must remain in carry-on baggage.
Finally, I wore Nike Vomero 18 running shoes on the plane and around the Banff Springs resort. They are comfortable enough for airports and hotels, and I keep them clean enough to wear to casual dinners. Clean running shoes are rarely out of place in modern golf resorts, so that eliminated another pair of shoes from my suitcase.
Finally, I also always pack a bathing suit. After playing on my first day, I enjoyed the Fairmont Banff Springs Spa. If a suit is still damp at checkout, I steal the plastic laundry bag that always seems to be hanging in the hotel closet and stash my bathing suit inside to keep everything else in my suitcase dry.
Parting Shot
The Fairmont Banff Springs’ Stanley Thompson course is a stunner and worth the trip. My full review of the course and resort is coming soon, but my advice to you the next time you are packing for an autumn golf trip is simple: Don’t try to pack for every imaginable weather condition or calamity. Prepare for the most plausible situations, choose items that work in several places, and bring a few things with you that can help you enjoy your trip without taking up too much space. In the Canadian Rockies, versatility may be the most valuable club in your bag.
David Dusek is a Golfweek senior writer covering golf equipment and technology.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: I played golf in the Canadian Rockies. Here’s what I’m glad I packed
