Burton's Club-Lok bag keeps your clubs safe from thieves

By Kiel Christianson,
Senior Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The recent story out of New Orleans is typical of a trend. Police there announced that 14 people had been arrested in a golf club theft ring. Some 1,200 golf clubs were recovered, while countless more had already been sold on eBay.

One of the suspects arrested was a golf pro. In one incident, burglars cut open a row of lockers at Tidelands Golf and Country Club in Galliano and stole all the clubs.

Even touring pros are not immune. More than one club has disappeared from a bag in an unguarded moment at a tournament. And even whole sets have been stolen, just ask Nancy Lopez, whose clubs disappeared from a flight to a tour stop some years ago.

Golfers tend to think that when they drop their equipment at their club's bag-drop, or leave their clubs outside while having a few post-round drinks, everything will be fine. Golf is played by gentlemen (and gentlewomen) and honor is of the essence. So the course should be a safe haven.

Problem is, thieves know that's what we think. So the course is easy pickings.

For those of us with security on our minds, Burton Golf has introduced the Club-Lok cart bag (MSRP $179), which features the Golf Club Theft Prevention System. Although Burton isn't the first to design a locking golf bag, the Club-Lok appears to be the best available option for golfers looking to safeguard their sticks.

How It Works

One knock against club-locking systems is that they clamp onto club shafts and might bend steel shafts or damage graphite shafts. The nice thing about the Club-Lok is that it is extremely shaft-friendly. The locking system is constructed from rigid but non-abrasive plastic and each individual club slot is ringed with a non-abrasive polymer material.

Furthermore, the locking mechanism down inside each individual slot doesn't contact the shaft at all. When you engage the mechanism and the clubs are locked in place, you can lift them up to the grip, but it is the grip that actually catches on the mechanism and prevents the club from being removed.

How It Plays

The Club-Lok is called a "Golf Club Theft Prevention System," but let's be honest: If someone really wants to steal your clubs badly enough, they'll do it no matter what. For a $3,000 set of Pings, a thief could simply take the whole bag and figure out the three-digit combination later, or, more drastically, cut the clubs out.

The Club-Lok incorporates an extendable steel cable to lock the bag to a more permanent structure, in order to deter someone from taking the entire bag. But a decent wire-cutter could get past the cable.

Frankly, a more honest description of the Club-Lok would be "Golf Club Theft Deterrent System." Not only could the whole bag be filched, it would seem that individual clubs might be vulnerable to theft as well, if the thief had time and motivation.

According to a Burton representative, "the bag was recently tested by a random group of PGA Tour Partners Members, none of which indicated that they were able to remove the clubs."

However, I locked a set of irons with standard grips into my Club-Lok, and found that I was actually able to pull, wiggle, and twist two of them out of their slots. Granted, the grips got a little scuffed, and it took a minute or so each, but I did get them out.

The thing is, most club thieves aren't going to put in the effort. They are creatures of opportunity. If one or two tugs don't free your $500 driver, they're going to move on to your buddy's bag.

In practice, then, the Club-Lok presents a formidable defense for your beloved clubs, even if in theory it is breachable.

The Verdict

The Club-Lok not only protects your sticks from thieves, but also from wear and tear. The 14-club bays are all designed to be non-abrasive. The pockets are plentiful and spacious. The nylon-reinforced styling is rugged and practical, yet tasteful.

The single shoulder-strap is well-padded, but it's a cart bag; the locking mechanism makes it too heavy to carry. The locking mechanism itself and the built-in three-digit lock are easy to use and straightforwardly designed.

If you've been hit already by club thieves, or fear being victimized in the future, the Club-Lok offers an attractive, functional, economical and effective piece of mind.

More Information

Burton Golf
Web: burtongolf.com

May 3, 2005

Kiel Christianson has lived, worked, traveled and golfed extensively on three continents. As senior writer and equipment editor for WorldGolf.com, he has reviewed courses, resorts, and golf academies from California to Ireland, including his home course, Lake of the Woods G.C. in Mahomet, Illinois. Read his golf blog here.