The Pinned Sound Stick: Killer Sound, but Is It Really a Golf Speaker?

Music on the golf course used to be a fringe thing. Now… It’s just golf.

Whether you love it, tolerate it, or still grumble about it, there’s no denying that Bluetooth speakers are pretty commonplace in any given group.

I’m not necessarily always in the mood for tunes on the course myself. But there are also plenty of times where it’s the perfect ingredient to make a round great. So I’m definitely onboard with music some of the time, or even a lot of the time.

I think that’s how it is for a lot of golfers.

But do you notice how I’ve only talked about music so far? Nothing about GPS yardages or the ability to take phone calls with your golf speaker?

Yeah, that’s because I’m not sure that many golfers are using these tools that way.

Which is what makes the Pinned Sound Stick actually make sense.

It’s a golf speaker without most of the golf stuff. Which, in one way, is kind of weird. Is it even a golf speaker?

But in another way, it might be just what some golfers want. Especially when they discover what I think is a bit of a sound quality advantage.

So, is this a product you should care about? Is it priced correctly? Is it worth buying if it doesn’t do all of those extras?

Let’s break it down.

First Impressions of the Pinned Sound Stick

At first glance, the Sound Stick looks suspiciously familiar. Kind of “rip off” familiar, if I’m being honest.

It’s got the built-in cart magnet. Big, chunky buttons. Rugged shell. Similar shape.

It wants you to think “Bushnell Wingman,” and design-wise, it’s not subtle about that.

But Pinned takes a detour in one important way: color.

Instead of Bushnell’s standard black-and-orange (although the brand is now shifting to a black-blue-white look), the Sound Stick comes in six bold finishes. Each one is a simple, solid, bright color.

To me, the look is fun. It’s flashy without being obnoxious. And I think a little personality goes a long way in a category that has a lot of sameness. So if having something that looks a little different than what everyone else in your group has is important to you, that’s one reason you might like the Sound Stick.

The build quality is solid, though I still think the Wingman series is more robust overall.

The built-in cart magnet on the Sound Stick is definitely rock solid. I tried every way to shake these speakers loose while driving rough terrain, and it didn’t even budge.

Pinned Golf Sound Stick Bluetooth Speaker

$149.99

If sound quality is your main criteria, this is an excellent golf speaker option. If you need more features, well, you'll have to look at something like the same-priced Bushnell Wingman 2.

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We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Sound Quality and Stereo Pairing Is Legit

One cool feature about the Pinned Sound Stick is that if you buy two of them you can pair them for true stereo sound. You can place one on each side of your cart and get true left/right stereo.

Not just two speakers playing the same sound. It’s an actual soundstage with imaging and depth. If you sit in the middle, you can achieve an actual sweet spot.

The Sound Stick sells for $150 each, but you can buy a pair for $250, which I actually think is a nice play if you really want to jam while you’re on the course.

I didn’t expect to geek out on audio from a speaker like this. And I’m not claiming that these are going to pass for a true audiophile experience. But I have to say that I was genuinely surprised at how full and warm the sound was.

The dual bass drivers (top and bottom of the speaker) give it real punch. But the mids are where it shines. Clean, crisp, and way more nuanced than I thought a $150 golf speaker could deliver.

Again, let me reign it in. These are not audiophile-quality speakers. But for a golf speaker (or a speaker anywhere else your lifestyle might take you)? It’s respectable.

Between the Wingman 2 and the Pinned Sound Stick (and I’ll get to more of the comparisons between the two as we go), I’m actually giving the sound-quality edge to the Sound Stick. It might not be a huge difference, but it’s noticeable. To my ears, the Sound Stick sounds better, especially when you pair two together.

But It’s Just a Speaker…

This is where we get to the part where the Pinned Sound Stick is either charming in its simplicity or frustrating in its limitations. It all depends on what you want.

There’s no GPS. No voice yardages. No mic for phone calls. No remote.

It’s also not a speaker designed for walking golf. There’s no clip or loop or carabiner.

In other words, other than the cart magnet, there’s really nothing about the Sound Stick that makes it specific to golf.

I think that’s fine for a lot of people. In fact, the vast majority of the speaker-users I see on the golf course (and most of them are either original Wingmans or Wingman 2s) are not using the GPS functionality or phone call features. They’re just using the speakers for playing music.

And if you do decide you want GPS, I honestly think the Blue Tees Player+ provides a better experience (and better sound) than the aforementioned Bushnell.

So, for a lot of people, who cares that the Sound Stick doesn’t give you all of those golf-specific add-ons? You may not use them anyway.

Then again, if you could get a speaker that was the same size, the same price, and that did include GPS options, wouldn’t that be the better choice?

Well…

The Comparison Everyone Will Make: Bushnell Wingman 2

Both the Pinned Sound Stick and Bushnell’s latest flagship speaker, the Wingman 2, are $149.99. Both are magnetized Bluetooth speakers with USB-C rechargeable batteries. But that’s where the similarities end.

The Bushnell Wingman 2 gives you:

• Audible GPS yardages
• A remote
• App integration
• Mic for calls

The Pinned Sound Stick gives you:

• Better sound (yep, I said it)
• Six color options
• Slightly better battery life (15 hours for the Sound Stick vs. 14 for the Wingman 2)
• IPX7 waterproofing vs. Wingman’s IPX6

So yeah, the Wingman 2 is feature-rich. But the Sound Stick sounds better. I think that’s really the crux of the matter. Which of those two things is more important to you?

Do you want a speaker that can do it all? That’s the Wingman 2.

Want one that looks bold and sounds a bit better? That’s the Pinned Sound Stick.

Want something smaller, but still has a magnet for both cart and walking use? Try the Pinned Dart 2.0.

Final Thoughts on the Pinned Sound Stick

The Pinned Sound Stick is a better speaker than most “golf speakers.” It just isn’t a better golf gadget.

If you care about audio and you’re not married to GPS readouts from your speakers, it’s a smart, stylish, great-sounding option and one that won’t be the same as everyone else you know.

But if you’re chasing features and something that gives you more for the same price, well, it kind of falls embarrassingly short.

Personally? I think it’s got its place. Like I said, a lot of golfers I know don’t even use the GPS features in their golf speakers. So if that’s you and you want to add a bit of color to your gear, check out the Sound Stick.

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Pinned Golf Sound Stick Bluetooth Speaker

$149.99

If sound quality is your main criteria, this is an excellent golf speaker option. If you need more features, well, you'll have to look at something like the same-priced Bushnell Wingman 2.

Buy from Play Better

We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Recent Updates:

• August 15th, 2025: Added reference to new review of the Pinned Dart 2.0 speaker – the smaller version of this one.