50 Words or Less
The Bushnell Wingman GPS speaker is a high quality speaker that doubles as an audio GPS.
Check out the new Bushnell Wingman HD HERE
Introduction
In the great “Music on the Golf Course” debate, I fall into the category of players who enjoy it but never think to bring a speaker. However, my rangefinder or GPS watch is at the top of my packing list. By pairing a speaker with a GPS device, the Bushnell Wingman makes it easier to bring your tunes to the course. Is this a perfect marriage or a meaningless mash-up? I tested one to find out.
For an affordable, easy to use GPS, check out the Bushnell Phantom 2 HERE
Set Up & Ease of Use
When I unboxed the Wingman, I found four pieces: the speaker, the remote control, a USB cord, and a quick start manual (the complete manual is found HERE). Getting things rolling was easy: charge the Wingman, power it up, and pair it with your phone. You will need to download the free Bushnell Golf app to get yardages on the course; it will only work as a standard speaker without the app.
To use the Wingman on the course, you need to open up the app and select the course that you’re playing. Queue up some music, and whenever you want a yardage, just push the remote and the Wingman will announce it. There are loads of settings to customize the experience: different voices, different yardages (front/center/back, just center, etc), and more.
It’s important to note that the Wingman is meant exclusively for cart use. The speaker weighs in at a hefty 1 pounds 5 ounces, and it’s got the size to match. Even if you’ve got strength to spare, you’re not going to want this clipped to your bag.
Accuracy & Performance
The Bushnell Wingman pulls its yardages from the Bushnell app, which is excellent. It’s accurate, quick, and provides plenty of data. With the push of a button, the Wingman announces the yardages you’ve requested at the volume that you select.
This is also a high quality audio source. The Wingman sounds as good as any Bluetooth speaker I’ve used. It’s clear and articulate, and it can generate more than enough volume for golf course applications.
Need a pocket-sized speaker? Check out the TecTecTec TEAM8 HERE
If you haven’t used one of Bushnell’s devices with BITE, let me tell you that no amount of reckless driving will jar the Wingman. The magnet is uber strong, so you don’t have to worry about it flying off the cart. Just don’t forget to grab it when the round is over.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the Wingman can run for about ten hours on a full charge. That’s a nice insurance policy against forgetting to charge it between rounds. The Wingman also has a USB out port that allows you to charge phones or other devices from its battery.
My one concern with the Wingman is that it was a little spotty when it wasn’t playing music. When I had music on, a push of the button paused the music, spoke the yardages, then resumed the groove. However, when I had no music on, it was hit or miss. It seemed like the Wingman went into sleep mode or disconnected from the phone. This doesn’t seem like a major issue to me, however, because I don’t see anyone bringing the Wingman to the course and not playing music.
Need bigger sound? Check out the Kemimoto Midnight soundbar HERE
Value
The Bushnell Wingman GPS speaker retails for $149. It’s hard to say whether this is a fair price because the Wingman has no direct competition. If you just want an audible GPS unit, there are certainly smaller, cheaper options, but no one is going to buy the Wingman just for that. Similarly, it’s a bit more expensive than some Bluetooth speakers, but it goes beyond being a speaker.
In my opinion, the Wingman GPS is a product targeted at a select group of golfers, and for those people, the value is high because it does two things very well.
Please consider supporting Plugged In Golf by buying the Wingman HERE
Conclusion
For the music-loving golfer, the Bushnell Wingman GPS is the must-have device of 2020. It’s not only a high quality speaker, it also enhances your game and pace and play. And while we won’t all agree about music on the course, we can surely come together behind any device that speeds up the round.
Buy the Bushnell Wingman HERE
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
Latest posts by Matt Saternus (see all)