Let’s face it, the experience of golf is evolving with places like TopGolf, DriveShack and Popstroke, it’s cool to play golf these days regardless of how you choose to consume the game – in its traditional form or not, and that’s a good thing. Even the most conservative golfers have accepted that technology and innovation can make the game less stale and more enjoyable for all . . . and the team at Blue Tees have once again moved the needle by introducing some cool new tech gear to allow you to enjoy the on course experience at a whole new level.
Sound
Upon unboxing the new Player+ GPS Speaker, the first thing I did was mount the device to the frig (it’s magnetic), hit the Spotify app and crank up the new Rolling Stones album. On course testing was days away, but you can’t be my go-to portable speaker if the sound isn’t tight and bold. Typically, smaller portable speakers lack any thump in the bass category, not the case here, and for the record, Mick and the boys sound amazing thumping out of the Player+, this badboy cranks for
On the course. I’m generally in favor of tunes on the fairways, as long as it’s at a modest volume level not disturbing any other groups, and everyone in our group is in favor of it (I’m perfectly fine with the soundtrack of nature as well). The Player+ sound is remarkably powerful, and crisp for a $200 portable device. How does Blue Tees new GPS speaker measure up in the marketplace? More on that later.
Design/Durability
The Player+ is basically a cylinder design, which makes it very easy to handle and allows for the sound to emanate from nearly 360 degrees. The flat front portion is the interactive distance display, while the flat back portion is a very powerful magnet – to keep the device firmly attached to your golf cart at all times regardless of whatever terrain imperfections the cart may encounter. The IPX 7 rating is another essential feature, this means the device is waterproof (can withstand up to 30 minutes of submersion in 3ft of water.
Functionality
The Blue Tees Game app when paired with the Player+ really enhances the experience, especially when playing an unfamiliar course – the full length course flyovers are well done and very informative. Tracking your club distances is another feature that helps the player and enriches the on course experience. For those looking to replace their rangefinders with a GPS device, the Player+ was accurate to within +/- 3 yards of my rangefinder, so another good showing there. Personally, I’m more of a rangefinder guy for my distance measurements, but I do like being able to glance over and get easy to see distance #’s from several yards away, additionally the dynamic hazards function is a great tool for course management. The Player+ device is as interactive as you’d like it to be. Check out the list of features below
Tech Features:
- Connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth
- Controlled by the Blue Tees Game
- Nearly 40,000 courses available
- Integrated touch screen
- Cart magnet mount
- 360-degree audio
- Visual and audio distances
- 100-foot range
- IPX 7 waterproof
- 10-hour battery life
Summary:
We’ve had a few weeks to test and compare Player+ with the industry leader’s device that we tested earlier in ’23. It’s not a fair fight, the bar has been raised, the Player+ compares quite favorably in several categories, including speaker sound and a much bolder interactive display, and at the same $200 price. Progressive minded creatives like Drew, Chris and the team in SoCal listened to what the consumer wanted, and delivered in a big way. Blue Tees presently wears the crown of “Best in Class” GPS Speaker in golf.
For more info: https://blueteesgolf.com/
