Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.

Blue Tees Golf The Player Speaker Review

Tested using Methodology v0.8
Reviewed Oct 04, 2023 at 10:16 am
Blue Tees Golf The Player Picture
5.8
Music
5.5
Videos/Movies
7.5
Podcasts
3.0
Voice Assistant
6.9
Outdoors

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is a golf cart speaker with a built-in magnet so you can attach it to your cart while on the course. It's a small and lightweight Bluetooth speaker with a detachable strap to help you bring it along with you and an IPX7 rating for water resistance to hold up against the elements. This speaker has no app compatibility, so it lacks some GPS-specific features of other golf cart speakers. Still,  it works as a power bank to recharge your devices while on the go, which is a cool touch.

Our Verdict

5.8 Music

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is middling for music. This speaker lacks a lot of bass, so you don't get much thump or rumble in the mix. Voices and lead instruments are reproduced with clarity, though they sound a bit dull and veiled due to the underemphasized treble range. You're also limited in adjusting its sound, with only Indoor and Outdoor sound modes available. This speaker doesn't get as loud as others we've tested, so it's not as suitable for listening in larger spaces.

Pros
  • Good directivity.
Cons
  • No multi-device pairing.
  • Lacks low-bass.
  • Limited sound customization options.
5.5 Videos/Movies

The Blue Tees Golf The Player isn't really designed for watching movies, but if you want to watch a video on a paired smartphone, it'll get the job done. Latency falls within good limits when connected to iOS and Android devices over Bluetooth, so you don't notice a delay between the audio you hear and the visuals on your screen. Dialogue is also pretty clearly reproduced, though you don't get much punch in the bass during action-heavy scenes. Still, this speaker isn't loud enough to fill a big room with cinematic sound.

Pros
  • Relatively low latency via Bluetooth.
Cons
  • Lacks low-bass.
  • Limited sound customization options.
7.5 Podcasts

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is good for podcasts. Out-of-the-box, its balanced mids ensure that voices are clear and easy to follow, even if they sound a bit dull due to the underemphasized treble. The speaker is portable enough to bring with you from room to room as you listen to longer episodes, and its good directivity ensures that sound is consistent from all angles. However, it's not quite loud enough to fill up larger and more open rooms, and you can only pair it up to one device at a time.

Pros
  • Portable design.
  • Good directivity.
Cons
  • No multi-device pairing.
3.0 Voice Assistant

The Blue Tees Golf The Player doesn't support voice assistants.

6.9 Outdoors

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is fair for outdoor use. It's a solid, well-built device with an IPX7 rating for water resistance to protect against the elements out on the course. Thanks to its portable design, it's easy to take along with you, and you can easily attach it to your bag or golf cart with the built-in strap and magnet. It's not as loud as some other speakers, but that's good if you don't want to bother other golfers around you. That said, it doesn't have a GPS or a companion app to connect to your course. It can only pair up to one device at a time, too.

Pros
  • IPX7 rating for water resistance.
  • Portable design.
Cons
  • No companion app.
  • No multi-device pairing.
  • 5.8 Music
  • 5.5 Videos/Movies
  • 7.5 Podcasts
  • 3.0 Voice Assistant
  • 6.9 Outdoors
  1. Updated Oct 04, 2023: Review published.
  2. Updated Sep 29, 2023: Early access published.
  3. Updated Sep 21, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Sep 20, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated Sep 18, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

This speaker comes in Black, Navy, and White color variants. We tested the Navy version and expect the others to perform similarly.

Let us know in the forums if you encounter another variant, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Speakers

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is a simple speaker for golf cart use. Its built-in magnet is designed to attach the speaker right to your golf cart, and it has an IPX7 rating for water resistance to withstand the elements. Compared to other golf cart speakers, though, there's no GPS or companion app to check on distances and keep track of your stats. That said, if you want a more basic device just for listening to music on the course, it's worth a look.

See our recommendations for the best golf cart speakers, the best outdoor speakers, and the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers.

Bushnell Wingman View

The Bushnell Wingman View is a more feature-packed golf cart speaker than the Blue Tees Golf The Player. Since it comes with a companion app, the Bushnell lets you access golf-specific features, like the ability to track your stats and keep track of distances out on the course. The Bushnell is made of better-quality materials, too, and it brings a touch more bass to the mix. However, the Blue Tees speaker is a fine choice if you don't need those features and just want to listen to music on the course.

Bushnell Wingman

The Bushnell Wingman and the Blue Tees Golf The Player are both golf cart speakers with built-in magnets to attach them to your cart. The Bushnell comes with more features, thanks to its companion app with the ability to connect to your golf course and track your stats. Both speakers lack a lot of bass but offer a similar sound.

Bushnell Wingman Mini

The Bushnell Wingman Mini and the Blue Tees Golf The Player are both golf cart speakers with different strengths. Only the Bushnell has a companion app with course-specific features to track distances and measure your stats. Its smaller size may be more suitable for your needs, but it does come with some trade-offs in terms of sound. Unlike the Blue Tees, the Bushnell has to downmix stereo content into mono. It doesn't get as loud, either.

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
RGB Lights No

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is a portable Bluetooth speaker for golfers. It comes in White, Navy, and Black color variants, each with a removable carrying strap to help you bring it around on the course. Plus, there's a magnet on the back to attach it to your golf cart. You can use the speaker vertically or on its side.

9.1
Design
Portability
Volume
91 in³ (1,498 cm³)
Weight
1.5 lbs (0.7 kg)
Power Source
Battery & USB
One-Hand Carry
Yes

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is quite portable. It's battery-powered, so it doesn't have to stay plugged into an outlet to use it. Plus, it's pretty small and lightweight, so you can carry it in one hand.

7.3
Design
Build Quality
Material Quality
Good
Water Resistance
Submersible (IPx7)
Dust Resistance
Unspecified
Impact Resistance
Unspecified
Floats In Water
Yes

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is made of good-quality materials, giving it a sturdy and solid feel. A well-knit fabric that doesn't feel like it'll tear covers the speaker. The magnet is strong, too, so it isn't likely to come off. The controls, the radiator, and the top of the speaker are made of plastic, and there's rubber covering the USB-C port to prevent water damage, though it can be tough to open. It's also rated IPX7 for water resistance and can float in water. That said, the strap is thin, and it seems like it could tear over time.

7.6
Design
Controls
Ease Of Use
Decent
Feedback
Good
Music Play/Pause
Yes (Physical)
Call Answer/End
Yes (Physical)
Volume Up/Down
Yes (Physical)
Track Next/Previous
Yes (Physical)
Microphone On/Off
No
Additional Controls
Yes

All the controls are on the front of the speaker, and they're easy to locate and use. Their control scheme isn't the most intuitive, which can be frustrating when you're out on the golf course.

  • Multi-function button: Press to play/pause music or answer/end a call. Press twice to reject a call.
  • Volume buttons: Press the + or - buttons respectively to raise or lower the volume. Hold the + button to skip to the next track. Hold the - button to return to the previous track.
  • Connectivity button: Press once to switch between the Indoor and Outdoor sound modes. Press twice to disconnect Bluetooth and enter pairing mode. Hold to enter True Wireless Pairing mode to pair up with a second speaker if you want to amplify your sound.

As for feedback, the buttons are clicky, so it's easy to know when a command is registered. Two LED lights in front of the speaker flash and change colors according to certain commands. There's also audible feedback when you switch between Indoor and Outdoor sound modes, and the speaker makes a distinct sound when you reach max volume and successfully connect to a device over Bluetooth. However, there's no feedback to let you know when you're at minimum volume.

Design
In The Box

  • User manual
  • Blue Tees The Player speaker
  • USB-C charging cable (2.26 ft / 69 cm)
  • Carry lanyard

Sound
4.7
Sound
Frequency Response Accuracy
Slope
-0.97
Std. Err.
3.95 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
142.5 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
10.8 kHz

The Blue Tees Golf The Player's frequency response is middling. Like most smaller speakers, it lacks a lot of bass, so you don't get a deep thump and punch. Voices and lead instruments are fairly clear in the mix, but they lack some clarity and detail due to the underemphasis in the treble. Your sound customization options are limited to Indoor and Outdoor sound modes, each designed to optimize sound based on whether you're in a smaller indoor space or a larger, more open outdoor area.

We tested this speaker in Indoor mode, positioned sideways as you can see from this picture here. Each side of the speaker has its own separate driver. This positioning lets sound come from both the right and the left side, so each is picked up by our mic array equally. It results in a better soundstage, giving you more consistent sound from every angle. If you're interested in seeing how the speaker performs in different configurations, you can check out this graph. You'll see that there isn't much difference in the frequency response if you switch between Indoor and Outdoor modes or use the speaker horizontally or vertically.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
Binaural Recording @ 1m
Binaural Recording @ 2m
8.4
Sound
Soundstage
Directivity Index
3.11 dB
Stereo
Yes

This stereo speaker has very good directivity. You can set it in the middle of the room and get consistent sound from all angles.

7.9
Sound
Dynamics
SPL @ Max Volume
91.2 dB SPL
DRC @ Max Volume
0.88 dB

This speaker doesn't get very loud, though that's good if you don't want to disturb other golfers on the course. It's still fine for listening in more average-sized rooms, too. There's not a lot of compression at max volume, either, so audio reproduction remains clear and pure.

Active Features
8.7
Active Features
Battery
Battery Life
13.9 hrs
Charge Time
3.4 hrs
Power Saving
Yes
Charging Port
USB-C
Battery Powered
Yes

The manufacturer advertises a battery life of between 12 and 14 hours, which is consistent with our test results. That'll be enough to get you through a round of golf. Plus, the speaker has a power-saving mode, which automatically shuts it off after ten minutes if it's not connected over Bluetooth.

0
Active Features
Voice Assistant
Alexa
No
Google Assistant
No
Speakerphone
Yes
Siri
No
Voice Assistant
No
Voice Activation
No
Microphone Mute
No
Far-Field Performance
No Assistant
Ambient Noise Performance
No Assistant
0
Active Features
App
App Name
No App
iOS
No
Android
No
EQ
No
Stereo Pair Mode
No
Party Mode
No
Multi-Room
No

Unlike other golf-centric speakers like the Bushnell Wingman View, there's no app with additional features to use on the course. It's fine if you just want to use it to listen to music.

Connectivity
Connectivity
Wired
Aux Input
No
USB Audio
No
Other Ports
No

This speaker also comes with a power bank that you can use to charge up other devices like your smartphone.

7.7
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Yes
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Bluetooth iOS Latency
112 ms
Bluetooth Android Latency
108 ms
Bluetooth Range
334.6 ft (102.0 m)
Multi-Device Pairing
No

The Blue Tees Golf The Player is easy to pair with mobile devices. It stays connected from far away, too, which is great if you move your phone away from the speaker while teeing off. You can only pair it to one device at a time, though. Still, latency falls within good limits, so you don't notice a delay if you want to stream a video from your phone. Some apps compensate for latency differently, though.

0
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Version
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Frequency Band
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
No
Apple AirPlay
No
AirPlay Latency
N/A
Google Chromecast
No
Chromecast Latency
N/A