2021 BLUETOOTH SPEAKER BUYER’S GUIDE
Let the Mayhem begin. I’m talking about the band, not the comments section.
Whether you like this band or not, you can listen to it on the golf course with our picks for the best Bluetooth speakers for 2021.
Opinions about whether Bluetooth speakers belong on the course vary widely but because it is a trend in the industry, we want to test them to ensure you’re well informed. Hell, some golf bags come with Bluetooth speakers built in or attached.
During testing, some models stood out for their sound quality and robust features. No matter your budget, you can buy a speaker to keep you swinging to the beat.
Whether you’re looking to buy a Bluetooth speaker today, some buying advice to get started or just want a closer look at what’s on the market, this guide will help you find the right speaker to fit your needs.
Winner: UE WonderBoom 2
If you want the best Bluetooth speaker, look no further than the UE WonderBoom 2. It may be small in size but it certainly packs a punch. Its sound clarity is so good that you can hear the artist breath between lyrics. The WonderBoom 2 is waterproof and floats for those summer pool days away from the golf course. The speaker has an outdoor boost button for clarity, suppressing any extraneous background noise. Another feature is that it can be paired with two WonderBoom 2 speakers for more of an impact. These are just a couple of reasons why UE WonderBoom 2 was crowned Most Wanted Bluetooth Speaker of 2021.
- 5th in durability
- 1st in sound clarity
- 1st in user friendly
- 6th in features
MOST DURABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER - RokForm G-Rok
The RokForm G-Rok was awarded the most durable bluetooth speaker in 2021. Its rugged exterior is designed to last the length of time. It also comes with a powerful magnet that won't budge even if the cart tips over. The G-Rok also comes with an aluminum hook for everyday use.
The Best Bluetooth Speakers – Features That Matter
Sound
(Omnidirectional versus directional) Listening to music should be an immersive experience. Sound quality shouldn’t fade because you’re on the wrong side of your speaker. The sound from directional speakers is less immersive, often limited by the direction the speaker is facing. We found that omnidirectional speakers are better suited for the golf course and are the best Bluetooth speakers for a golf cart.
Speakers like the UE WonderBoom 2 and Treblab HD77 are great examples of quality omnidirectional speakers. Directional speakers are not as well suited for the 360-degree challenge of the golf course, at least for those looking for consistent sound in and out of the cart.
Connectivity
No matter how great a speaker sounds, it’s only as good as its connection. The best Bluetooth speakers for golf allow you plenty of room to wander.
The top performers maintained their connectivity despite 40-plus yards of separation. If you carry your phone while playing, especially if you find yourself wandering far from your cart, maximizing your connectivity distance is essential to keeping the music going.
The JBL Clip 3 and the JBL Flip 4 offer superb Bluetooth connectivity.
Battery Life
How long does your golf speaker last when it’s unplugged and paired with your Bluetooth device? Bluetooth speakers can last from five to 36 hours per charge. For a day that starts at the course and ends at the pool, an extra couple of hours can come in handy.
Examples of the best Bluetooth speakers that have long-lasting battery life are Treblab FX100, RokForm G-Rok and Anker Soundcore, which offer 36 and 24 hours of boogie time.
EXPERT TIP - Finding the Right Speaker for How You Travel the Course
Golfers who walk should favor smaller and lighter speaker options. The ideal solution is likely one that clips to your bag. Golfers who prefer to ride, should take advantage of sound-rich speakers which easily fit in the car's cup holders.
BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER 2021 - FEATURES
| Product | Colors | Waterproof | Shockproof | Link Muiltiple Speakers | Battery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | AMPCaddy V3 Pro Max Check Price | 1 | Y | Y | N | 12 HOURS |
 | Anker SoundCore Check Price | 1 | N | N | N | 24 HOURS |
 | BagBoy Mini Soundbar Check Price | 1 | N | Y | N | 8 HOURS |
 | Bose Soundlink Revolve Check Price | 1 | N | Y | Y | 12 HOURS |
 | Bushnell Wingman Check Price | 1 | N | N | N | 10 HOURS |
 | JBL Clip 3 Check Price | 12 | Y | Y | N | 10 HOURS |
 | JBL Flip 4 Check Price | 9 | Y | Y | Y | 12 HOURS |
 | Kove Commuter 2 Check Price | 1 | N | Y | N | 7 HOURS |
 | Oontz Angle 3 Check Price | 7 | Y | N | N | 14 HOURS |
 | Puma Pop Top Check Price | 2 | Y | Y | N | 5 HOURS |
 | Puma Soundchuck Mini Check Price | 3 | N | Y | N | 12 HOURS |
 | RokForm G-Rok Check Price | 1 | Y | Y | Y | 24 HOURS |
 | Treblab FX100 Check Price | 1 | N | Y | Y | 35 HOURS |
 | Treblab HD77 Check Price | 2 | Y | Y | N | 20 HOURS |
 | Tribit Storm Box Micro Check Price | 3 | N | N | Y | 8 HOURS |
 | UE WonderBoom 2 Check Price | 8 | Y | Y | Y | 15 HOURS |
CLEAREST SOUND BLUETOOTH SPEAKER - Ultimate Ears WonderBoom 2
The UE WonderBoom 2 offers top quality 360-degree omnidirectional sound and volume capabilities. You can pair two units together for true stereo sound. UE's new "Outdoor Boost" mode allows you to crank-up powerful audio that's engineered to be heard outside.
Bluetooth Speakers – More Tips
- Bigger doesn’t always mean better (or louder). Some smaller speakers outperform their large competitors and better fit in a cart’s cup holder.
- Nearly all Bluetooth speakers are portable, meaning you can take them anywhere without needing a cord for them to play music.
- Some Bluetooth speakers can also be used for phone calls. The added versatility can be helpful, especially if you don’t have to sacrifice sound quality to get it.
- While most speakers are water resistant, some, like the like JBL Flip 4 and UE WonderBoom 2, are fully waterproof. So even if you get rained on during your round or your speaker tumbles into the pool, the music will keep playing.
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How We Test
We're here to help you find the perfect golf speaker to fit your needs.
To do that, we employ a thorough and fully independent testing process that leaves no feature unexplored, no detail unchecked, and no stone unturned.
Our Metrics
Golf speakers are tested head to head using rigorous protocols.
The metrics we consider when rating Golf Speakers include Durability, Features, Ease of Use, and Sound Quality.
BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER 2021 - RESULTS
| Products | Durability | Sound Clarity | User Friendly | Features | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UE WonderBoom 2 Check Price | 5th | 1st | 1st | 6th | 93 |
| JBL Flip 4 Check Price | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 91.5 |
| Bose Soundlink Revolve Check Price | 10th | 2nd | 14th | 4th | 91 |
| Bushnell Wingman Check Price | 5th | 7th | 14th | 1st | 91 |
| RokForm G-Rok Check Price | 1st | 10th | 3rd | 2nd | 90.5 |
| AMPCaddy V3 Pro Max Check Price | 9th | 3rd | 3rd | 9th | 90 |
| Kove Commuter 2 Check Price | 10th | 6th | 3rd | 5th | 89 |
| Treblab HD77 Check Price | 10th | 4th | 3rd | 9th | 89 |
| JBL Clip 3 Check Price | 2nd | 7th | 3rd | 15th | 88 |
| Anker SoundCore Check Price | 2nd | 12th | 3rd | 6th | 87.5 |
| Puma Soundchuck Mini Check Price | 5th | 12th | 3rd | 6th | 87 |
| Treblab FX100 Check Price | 10th | 9th | 3rd | 9th | 87 |
| Puma Pop Top Check Price | 2nd | 15th | 1st | 9th | 85.5 |
| Tribit Storm Box Micro Check Price | 10th | 9th | 3rd | 15th | 85.5 |
| Oontz Angle 3 Check Price | 10th | 14th | 3rd | 9th | 84.5 |
| BagBoy Mini Soundbar Check Price | 16th | 15th | 14th | 9th | 82 |
MOST FEATURE RICH - Bushnell Wingman
The Bushnell Wingman gives you a little extra incentive to talk trash. It comes pre-loaded with a selection of phrases or you can record you own to surprise your buddies with a little healthy heckling. It mounts to your cart with a powerful magnet and gives you distances to the front, middle and back of the green as well as hazards.
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What Do I Need to Know About the Best Bluetooth Speakers?
Q: How do I charge my Bluetooth speaker?
A: Most up-to-date devices have USB ports that charge your speaker. Some older, less advanced speakers still require batteries to keep the music going.
Q: What is the difference between waterproof and water resistant?
A: Water-resistant speakers will survive a few drops of rain or a quick dip in the pool. Waterproof speakers can tackle the harshest of weather conditions and be submerged under water for an extended period of time without harm.
Q: Are Bluetooth speakers allowed on the golf course?
A: While we’d wager some courses have explicit rules against speakers, we hope it’s not common. Golf is a game, right? Aren’t games meant to be enjoyed? Yes, there is a rule prohibiting music during competition (something about using the rhythm of the beat in your golf swing) but, if you’re respectful of others on the course, listening to music with your buddies during a fun round shouldn’t be an issue. Keep it at a reasonable volume and it’s all good. Go ahead and post your scores. We won’t tell.
*We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.
Pete
1 year agoAnyone saying “no speakers or music on the course!” needs to come out of the dark ages. If you want the game to keep growing, you need to adapt. There are idiots on the course who blast music but most people keep it just load enough to be heard in their cart or within 5 feet so it does not harm anyone. Anytime I place music I turn it down when leaving my cart or if I approach a tee box of another group. Common sense people.
Jim
1 year agoI agree with most of what you say and it sounds like you are very conscientious with your music. Unfortunately “common sense” isn’t as common as we’d like it to be, and a lot of people are a very poor judge as to how far their music travels. I note the MGS is recommending omnidirectional speakers so the sound goes EVERYWHERE, not just at the people sitting in the cart. And loudness is a desirable feature. Most golfers try to take care to not make noise while people are playing. How is music different?
Neil
2 years agoBird songs is all I want to hear at the golf course.
BRUCE
2 years agoI was hoping for better from my golf spy but I guess everybody has their price huh
Art
2 years agoCould you please test which shotgun shell gauge and shot type best obliterates a speaker? Asking for a friend.
Ian Tessier
2 years agoTo avoid startling your group with a shotgun, I’d suggest using a long iron.
greg
2 years agothe only thing worse then a shank are speakers on the golf course. There”s no reason for them in the age of wireless ear buds.
Judge Smails
2 years agoNoooooooooooooo!
James
2 years agoOnly speakers allowed when you play with me is the ones called “NONE” going to get to the point we need no music tee times……they put me with guys playing music and you will see me walking 20 30 yards ahead or behind them….I have even gone so far is to walk off after nine when paired with some idiots that shot about 50 but played their music way to much…
ForeRightAgain
2 years agoYou seem like a lot of fun to play with. They shot a 50 for 9?!?!?! They should be banned from playing ever again. According to NGF the average score is 100. Which means they’re average golfers.
Rather play with average golfers enjoying themselves, then with someone who is uptight
Tommy
2 years agoLove the music quality out of my wingman, but even if your phone is on silent, it still rings through the speaker. Wouldn’t have bought it if I had known.
Beau
2 years agoUh, I own 2 Oontz Angle 3’s and I am ABLE to pair/sync them together. You stated in the comparison that you are NOT able to pair multiple speakers. You may want to review that.
I will say, I love these speakers. 3 years in, multiple rounds and multiple drops they still play and play loud. When synced together they a re awesome
Jeff
2 years agoYou mentioned that omnidirectional sound is best for golf courses. That would be a great data field to put in your feature charts. so we can tell quickly which ones check that box.
Imafitter
2 years agoBought The Wingman along with the Pro XE Rangefinder. The magnets are great and the Wingman is easy to pause. Paring with my phone works fine, but I don’t use the distance voice as I have the rangefinder and a Garmin S20. But it is nice playing smooth jazz thru speakers that sound good.
Jonny Gaspardis
2 years agoAny look into the Bose sound link mini…great price, last forever and come with a strap to attach to cart!!
Use it all the time and it’s been amazing!
owen oiffer
2 years agoPitch Forks !!
We dont need this on the golf course If you must then put your ear buds in.
All we need is another YaHoo with who Who Let The Dogs Out blaring across the course
Crabby Guy
2 years agoOK….So you’re one of -those- guys on the course. Please go back to Bushwood Country Club.
Steve
2 years agoShows what you know, as in actuality Bushwood CC can be described as Ground-Zero for this behavior.
Movie history aside, no one seems concerned about where this ends up – I dislike your music so I turn mine up louder to drown yours out., and before you know it the Course Marshall gets involved because someone else objects to both your and my taste in music. But what can he do? Carry a decibel meter?
Think that wouldn’t happen? Try golfing in Mexico right now with a tequila fueled group on the adjacent fairway blasting mariachi music. It’s already happening, and if you don’t like their music what right do you have to complain?
Personally I couldn’t care less how you behave on the course at 5pm when you likely have the place to yourself, but when the course is busy it’s another matter.
So unless you want to create a multitude of rules to cover audible music on the golf course, stop playing the manufacturers’ stupid games that are designed to sell a load of bluetooth crap.
If you really need music in order to enjoy yourself on the course then go buy some ear buds and leave the rest of us in peace.
Scott
2 years agoWith all due respect, the voices can be just as loud if not louder than somebody’s music. Similarly, if someone is practicing bad on-course etiquette, they can be asked to reduce volume.
Also, earbuds will make it near impossible to hear you yell FORE! when you yank it at someone’s face.
Breck
2 years agoI was anti-speakers for a long time. Especially when a bunch of high-fiving dudes were blasting rap while tearing back and forth down the fairways. However, I find most people are somewhat courteous and I enjoy some low volume tune while we play. I find it relaxing and a conversation piece. Sinatra or Count Basie enhances the experience. Of course, you group will probably have to be less rigid about it than some of the folks up top.
Ed
2 years agoBought the Pop Top speaker with my Golf Galaxy rewards, so I didn’t feel like I lost a whole lot when I was disappointed with the sound quality. I don’t think it’s worth what it retails for. Wanted it for my push cart, but it’s since been relegated to use for my practice bag and in the shower, which it’s more than fine.
The Flip is awesome though and I definitely recommend. Sound is great, and the pairing feature is cool for multiple walkers/carts so everyone plays the same music, simple to pair (no app needed, just push the button on all the speakers), and you don’t have different songs going on simultaneously, which is annoying in a group. The distance between the speakers is also outstanding. My buddy and I were at least 100 yards away I’d guess, a fairway and a half on a big push slice, and sound was still good for awhile before it started to cut off.
UE Megaboom is also a good speaker.
Dave Tutelman
2 years agoIf music is OK on the course, then tour events should not have “Quiet!” signs. The fans should be cheering and making noise, just like almost every other sport.
Introducing either kind of noise changes the mental game considerably. I’m OK with it, but ONLY if the culture is changed across all of golf, including elite/tour competition.
Greg
2 years agoI don’t know why “culture across all levels of golf” has to change. My swing or game doesn’t look anything like the ones at the PGA game. Why does mine have to sound like theirs if everyone around me is ok with music? Change your own culture. Don’t tell me my culture is wrong because it doesn’t look, or sound, like yours.
Michael H
2 years agoThank you for the reviews.
Bought the UE Wonder Boom 2 earlier this year based on your ratings. Haven’t used it on golf course as I walk/carry and have a Puma Soundchuck mini which I like due to the smaller size and carabiner, although the tail broke so now using superglue and electrical tape to keep it together.
Use Wonder Boom for pool and sitting outside; definitely better sound than Soundchuck.
SIMON WHITE
2 years agoWhy on earth would you want a Bluetooth speaker on the course? I golf to get away from modern life’s little stresses and noise pollution is one of the worst for me. Perhaps I’m not the target generation for this kit, but I wouldn’t welcome them on any course I was playing.
Jerry
2 years agoI agree wholeheartedly. And we don’t need you encouraging incorrigible idiots.
Thomas
2 years agoYes! The 2nd comment is “get off my lawn.” I have been refreshing forever to see the 1st “maybe not my generation for music” guy…. I love these reviews strictly for this alone….
ForeRightAgain
2 years agoA course by me has speakers in their carts. It’s fantastic as not having to worry if we charged the speaker after our last round. Otherwise we go with JBL Charge 3 and a JBL clip. The biggest problem is that the Charge takes up a big chunk of bag space.
James
2 years agoAmen brother…I am just about ready to bring my guitar with me and play Johnny Cash songs while walking up the fairways….if they can play their music then so can I, bet after they have heard I walk the line for 12, 13 holes they may get the idea.
Music Please
2 years agoHave actually found music to calm the nerves and make it fun. It gets you dancing and doing a little shuffle which keeps you loose. which means you swing loose and hit good shots.
Devin
2 years agoThis!