Each Airlines have differents Rules for sporting Equipment.
Jet Blue for example don't charge extra for Golf Clubs but they charge $50
For kiteboarding equipment.
http://help.jetblue.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/we ... =obj(2236)
Make a web search of the airline rules to don't have a surprise at the airport.
Because sometimes charges for any "board" equipment are extremely high.
In 2007 I was on a surf trip to Nicaragua and the counter lady open my
surfboard bag and see 3 surfboards she want to charges me $80 per board! = $240
and my airline ticket cost me $365 round trip.
At the end they charge me $80 for the complete bag, but always is a pain to work with extra charges for travelling with "boards". Remember that airlines extra charges are each way.
Always is good to check extra charges cost before buy the travelling tickets
from one airline or the other.