How to master any travel disaster

SAVVY TRAVELER

Travel emergencies won't ruin your golf trip — if you plan for them

IT ONLY takes one wrinkle — a stolen passport or a lost bag — to turn your golf trip from a fiesta into a fiasco. Once you've settled the basics (where to play and stay), spend time preparing for the most common emergencies that can spoil things, especially if you're traveling overseas. "Preparing ahead of time will allow you to mitigate any problems that arise," says Amy Ziff, advice columnist for travel web site Travelocity. Here's how to handle five common snags.

LOST PASSPORT
• Make two photocopies of your passport. Leave one at home and take the other copy with you. Make a note of the phone number of the U.S. embassy. If you have a copy, the embassy should able to replace your lost passport within 24 hours.

STOLEN WALLET
• Don't carry any more than two credit cards, and dump all those gift cards you've been carrying around since Christmas. There's also no need to stuff your money clip with Benjamins — even the most remote locations have ATMs.

MISSING BAGS
• If you arrive ready to play but your clubs are MIA, alert the airline immediately. And pack a change of clothes in your carry-on. Less than 2 percent of bags disappear for good so chances are you'll sec your luggage again.

MEDICAL MISHAP
• Many insurance policies don't cover you if you fall ill outside the United States. If you have a chronic illness, check with your insurer in advance to see if you're covered.

MISSED FLIGHT
• Tip No. 1: Don't book the last flight of the day. Miss it and you'll be spending the night in a motel with a bed that takes quarters. Tip No. 2: Be nice to the airline folks. They can make good things happen in bad situations.

By: Bastable, Alan, Golf Magazine, Apr2006