Blue Tees Player Speaker Review: My Favorite Golf Bluetooth Speaker
Over the last few years, there’s been a whole new product niche coming to market: the golf Bluetooth speaker.
It’s becoming much more common to have some music on the golf course, and these are speakers that cater specifically to that.
Some include magnets that attach to a golf cart, hooks to attach to a golf bag, and others have apps that pair with the speaker to give you distances to greens and hazards.
The latest foray into this market comes in the form of the Blue Tees Player speaker.
Blue Tees is most well known for their rangefinders, specifically the excellent Series 3 Max, but they’ve followed the likes of Bushnell and Precision Pro in releasing a Bluetooth speaker.
But does golf really need another bluetooth speaker? Is the Blue Tees speaker actually any good?
Well after playing half a dozen rounds with it, I have some pretty solid opinions.
Let’s find out.
Note: Considering picking up a Player? Check out their updated model the Player+.
First Impressions of the Blue Tees Player Speaker
Honestly, of all the golf Bluetooth speakers I’ve tested out, the Player Speaker in black may be my favorite aesthetically.
The packaging is very well done, with a nice magnetic opening to the box.
Blue Tees Player Speaker Box
Out of the box.
I like the all-black motif, and it tends to blend in with the golf cart when you’re using it which I prefer (as long as you remember to grab it after the round).
It’s rugged and durable, and the dual woofer design on the top and the bottom is unique in the world of golf speakers.
The only real complaint I have with the looks of the Player is the fact they put the “Made in China” and FCC data on the front rather than the back. It seems like this info should have gone on the same side as the magnet so that you can’t see it while using it.
This doesn’t affect the usability in any way, but every time I looked at it, it almost felt like the speaker was attached backward.
The “Made in China” and FCC info is in an odd spot.
The Player comes with a little lanyard you can use to attach the speaker to a bag, but it’s not quite as solid as I’d like to see. It’s better than the Precision Pro Ace which has no way of attaching to a bag, but the Wingman has a great hook on the bottom, which makes it more suited for people who like to carry.
The built in lanyard for attaching to a bag.
Although I will say, if you’re someone who predominantly carries? You should probably just grab the JBL Clip, as it’s by far the least intrusive, best-sounding, and most affordable speaker for the walking golfer.
Looking for a versatile golf speaker that won't break the bank? The new Player Speaker is our favorite golf Bluetooth speaker - especially if you ride in a cart.
Setting Up and Using the Blue Tees Player Speaker
There are four primary buttons, the Blue Tees “logo” button which is used to pair, a “chain” button for EQ, and a “+” and “-” button which double as track skip and volume buttons.
Nothing overly complicated here, and if you’ve used any Bluetooth device in the past, you’ll have no issues getting it setup.
I didn’t need any instructions and I had music streaming from my phone about 30 seconds after turning it on.
This is important to mention, because if you’re using the Precision Pro Ace or the Bushnell Wingman – the process is quite a bit more cumbersome. Both of those have a feature where they will audibly read distances to the front, back, and center of the green.
It’s a cool idea in theory, but you know what? I never end up using it. The extra complication of using the app (especially if you’re already using something like Arccos Golf) makes the added step a little bit too much for me.
Some might consider it a negative that the Player Speaker doesn’t have those GPS features – I actually look at it as a positive.
The button with the chain icon is used to switch EQ and to pair to an additional speaker. As far as EQ goes, it’s as simple as “indoor mode” and “outdoor mode”. There’s no good way of knowing which mode you’re in, but it always sounded good regardless of where it was.
This button also helps you to chain two speakers together. I only have one so I couldn’t test this out, but it’s definitely a unique idea that sets this product apart from others in the space.
I’d love to see how well this would work if you had a separate speaker in two different carts. Obviously, there would be times that it would drop out as you get out of range, but the range on this speaker is pretty good. This could potentially solve the problem of two different carts, each with its own speaker, battling it out for audio supremacy.
The volume/track skip buttons work great. You long hold to change the track and short press to change the volume – and I’ve had zero issues there.
Blue Tees Player Speaker Performance
Here’s what I love about the Player: it just works.
Even when I’ve just use the Bushnell Wingman or the Precision Pro Ace as a speaker without the GPS, I’ve occasionally run into pairing issues.
Every time I’ve used the Player? It fires up right away, with zero issues.
And better yet? I think it sounds the best out of all the golf Bluetooth speakers I’ve tried.
It’s the loudest, has the most bass, and I’d argue it’s the clearest as well.
The magnet built into the Player Speaker is also the strongest of any of the competing products. Seriously, if you attach this thing to your cart – it’s not going anywhere.
The USB-C charging port also doubles as a wireless charger for your phone or other devices, which is incredibly handy.
Battery life on the Blue Tees speaker is great. I was able to get 3 rounds out of it without having to charge it, and it’s still going. It can be a little tough to tell exactly how much battery you have left, but other than that it lasts a long time.
One thing I’ve had issues with when it comes to other Bluetooth speakers is range. Especially if you keep your phone in your pocket, if you get too far away from the speaker it can start cutting out.
Obviously, this is kind of the nature of Bluetooth, but I found the range to be better on the Player than other competing products. I’m not sure if they use a newer Bluetooth standard (it’s 5.0, not sure what the others are), or what, but I could leave the cart on the path near the green, and walk all the way to the far side of the green with the music still pumping.
There are little mini subwoofers on both the top and bottom of the device which make this great for bass heavy music.
This was a nice upgrade when compared to other speakers I’ve used.
It’s also rated IPX7, which means it can be fully submerged in shallow water for up to 30 minutes. So if you want to take this to the lake, pool, or somewhere that isn’t a golf course – it’s well suited to do so.
RELATED: Best Golf Bluetooth Speakers: Our 4 Favorites.
Final Thoughts on the Blue Tees Speaker
Overall, this is my favorite golf Bluetooth speaker. If I’m carrying my bag, I’ll still likely go with the JBL Clip simply because it’s so much smaller and lighter.
But if you’re a golfer that typically rides in a cart or uses a pushcart? This is the best of the ever-growing list of golf Bluetooth speakers.
It comes in at $129.99, which is less expensive than other competing products, and feels like a solid value for what you get.
The magnet is the strongest, the Bluetooth range is the best, it’s the loudest, and has the best waterproof rating.
If the GPS distances are really a factor for you, then I’d go with the Bushnell Wingman. It’s still a solid speaker, but with so many different GPS/app options out there these days, I personally prefer using Arccos.
Blue Tees does a pretty good job of bundling the speaker and their Series 3 Max rangefinder, so if you’re in the market for both, you can likely find a killer deal!
Looking for a versatile golf speaker that won't break the bank? The new Player Speaker is our favorite golf Bluetooth speaker - especially if you ride in a cart.
Good Things
- Very loud with great sound quality
- Strong magnet
- Built in charger
Bad Things
- No GPS Features
- Odd placement of FCC information
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