About 3 years ago Bushnell created an entirely new product category with their golf Bluetooth speaker, the Wingman.
We’ve now seen competing speakers from the likes of Precision Pro, Blue Tees, TecTecTec and more.
The original Bushnell Wingman is a solid speaker. It sounds decent, and the integrated magnet works well. But there are some issues with bluetooth connectivity distance and a quirky app experience.
Update July 2024: Bluetooth released the Wingman 2, which fixes many of the issues with the original.
Well, they’ve spent the last 3 years learning from that first product and have now released not just one new Bluetooth speaker, but two for 2023.
The first is the follow-up to the original and it’s called the Bushnell Wingman View – this is the one we’re talking about today.
And in the next couple of weeks, they’re releasing a more compact speaker that’s known as the Wingman Mini.
In this Bushnell Wingman View review, we’re going to look at how it compares to both the outgoing Wingman and the new Mini. We’ll also take a look at some new features, let you know how it performs, and ultimately help you decide if it’s worth buying.
Sound good? Let’s go.
What is a Golf Bluetooth Speaker?
Real quick before we get into this review, we should address the elephant in the room: what is a golf Bluetooth speaker?
It’s a speaker that has features specific to the needs of a golfer.
In nearly every case this includes a built-in magnet so that you can easily attach it to a golf cart.
In most cases, this also includes the ability to hit a button and get yardages to the green.
The speakers with GPS data will also have an app you’ll use to get additional data and to keep score.
That’s pretty much it.
So is it worth getting a dedicated golf speaker? Hopefully, we’ll answer that by the end of this review.
RELATED: If you’re considering the Wingman View, check out the Blue Tees Player+. Overall, I think it’s a more compelling package in terms of sound and features.
First Impressions of the Bushnell Wingman View
Out of the box, the Wingman View is a really good-looking speaker. There are two major differences over the old Wingman that you’ll immediately notice.
The first is that for the new version, there’s a built-in screen (hence the “View” moniker.)
The second is that Bushnell ditched the older barrel design for a new triangular design.
This angles the screen towards the user when mounted in a cart, and helps disperse the tunes in a more directional way.
There’s a wireless remote integrated into the top of the speaker as well.
Let’s be clear, Bushnell doesn’t make crappy products. Every single Bushnell device I’ve ever used has had solid packaging, and robust designs that feel high-end.
The Wingman View is no different. With clear rubber buttons down the front for power, volume, and Bluetooth pairing – everything on this speaker feels intentional.
It does feel more refined than the original and truly does feel like a “version 2.0” product in this update.
That said, some of these design elements come with a few hiccups that we’ll address in a minute.
The Wingman View is a big step up over the original Wingman. It sounds great, the GPS screen is handy, and despite a few minor issues, it does exactly what it says it'll do.
Pairing the Bushnell Wingman View
The first time you set up the Wingman View is a little bit of a process. You’ll need to connect both the Wingman speaker itself, as well as the Wingman remote to your phone.
It’s best to do this through the new Bushnell app. I tried just hitting the pair button and then finding it in my Bluetooth settings and pairing that way. This got me music, but if you’re planning to use it as a GPS, you’ll need to make sure everything is properly paired in the app.
One thing you’ll notice if you’ve used Bushnell devices previously is that there’s an entirely new app.
Not an app update, a new app.
So you may need to register a new Bushnell account if you haven’t already.
Once you’ve downloaded the app and created your account, the pairing process is very simple and I had no issues with it.
However, as I’ve stated in most of my golf tech reviews – do this at home before you plan to play.
This go around I tried to do it on the first tee, and it took me the duration of the first hole to get everything in order.
How Does the Bushnell Wingman View Perform?
There are two different components we’ll need to look at here when it comes to performance: the design of the speaker itself and the usability of the speaker.
Let’s address design first.
Bushnell Wingman View Design: A Bit of a Mixed Bag
As I mentioned above, there’s no denying the Wingman View is a well-built, good-looking speaker.
But in my hands-on experience using it for 3 rounds, I’ve found some of the design decisions on the new model to work better than others.
The major defining difference between this and the old model is the inclusion of a new screen.
The screen is a good size, and will show music data when a round is not being played. When you start a round in the app, it shows the distances to the front, middle, and back of the green along with some other minor hole data.
This is great! It’s more legible and works better than the now-retired Precision Pro Ace speaker, and is basically a similar experience to using the Bushnell Phantom GPS.
There’s just one issue with it: the angle.
I generally like the triangular shape of the Wingman View when it comes to the speaker. The buttons are easily accessible down the front, and I found the angled design makes music easier to hear from more spots around the cart.
But the main reason they designed it this way was to be able to incorporate the screen into it.
My first thought was that this would be great, as it would angle the screen toward the golfers in the cart.
The reality is that this actually makes it harder to see, than if it were located head-on. Between the glare and the lack of a backlight, it wasn’t as easy to just glance at and get distances as I expected.
I expected it to be just a Phantom GPS on a speaker – which it kind of is. But the backlight, head-on orientation, and larger screen make the Phantom a much better experience as a GPS.
A Couple of Other Minor Design Issues
There were two other things about the physical design that I’ve struggled with.
The first is the remote. There’s a removable remote that you can keep in your pocket, and then from anywhere hit a button and get audible green distances.
It is nearly impossible to get this remote detached from the speaker itself. They didn’t make it very easy to get your finger under it to lift it out, so every time I’ve tried to remove it, it’s been a struggle.
I did finally figure out that pulling it out with your index finger is the way to go, rather than trying to flip it out with your thumb.
I’m sure they did this to avoid it inadvertently coming loose and getting lost, but man, it sticks in there good!
The other slight disappointment is the fact they removed the hook on the bottom of the speaker. This allowed you to use a carabiner and attach it to your golf bag for use when not on a cart.
This is a pretty big speaker, so most people won’t use it while carrying their clubs. But for those with a push-cart, it’d be nice to have had the option to easily attach it to your golf bag.
Bushnell Wingman View Usability: It works great!
I know I was a little bit harsh on some of the design aspects of the speaker.
But here’s the good news: the speaker itself works great.
On the previous model, I had issues with Bluetooth range. Once you got 30-40 feet away it would cut in and out.
The range on this seems improved, as I could leave my cart with my phone in my pocket, walk to the green, and it has never lost connection once.
So it’s great to see this improved.
The speaker sounds fantastic.
I’ve found it to be a noticeable upgrade over the original Wingman. The bass is more responsive and it gets louder.
There wasn’t a single time in 3 rounds that I struggled with hearing it, and if anything I had to turn it down a few times because I had it too loud.
The location of the buttons on the front of the device makes this super easy to adjust.
The audible distances are accurate, but honestly, for me, they’re more of a party trick than anything else.
I found myself looking at the screen far more than I was having it audibly read me distances.
You can have it display hazard distances as well by tapping the Bluetooth button. This isn’t super obvious, so my first round I was disappointed I couldn’t get hazard data. Then after a quick read of the manual, I figured out this is how you do it. Once you know, it works great.
The Bushnell app is much improved with detailed hole overviews. Using the app and speaker together rivals any other golf GPS app out there, and most people should be happy with it.
A Couple Other Cool Features
The more time I spent with the Wingman View, the more I realized just how many unique features are packed into it.
For one, you can record custom messages within the app. Then by either double or triple tapping the remote, you can have it play your message.
For instance your first message could be “Great shot!” and your second might be “That was awful, you suck!
You know, or something more polite. Again, a bit of a party trick, but a fun feature.
You can also connect two Wingman View units together using TWS to get a true stereo experience which is a feature that most people likely won’t use, but is a cool addition.
Final Thoughts on the Bushnell Wingman View
Honestly, I think despite some design issues, the Bushnell Wingman View is in the running for best golf GPS speaker on the market.
The bigger question is how many people actually need a golf Bluetooth speaker with GPS yardages?
We all have so many ways to get distances from phone apps, to swing trackers, to rangefinders – and so on. Do we really need our speaker to do this for us?
The magnet on the other hand is a game-changer, and is in my opinion the most important part of a golf speaker.
You’ll just have to remember to grab it after the round if it’s mounted to a cart. In 3 rounds with the new Wingman, I’ve already left it at the course once. And I know I’m not the only one who has this problem…
My previous “best golf speaker” is the Blue Tees Player speaker, and guess what? It doesn’t even have built-in GPS. It just sounds the best, is the loudest, and has a super strong magnet.
The Wingman View sounds just as good, is just as loud, and has GPS built-in.
But it also costs twice as much at $200 vs the $100 you can regularly find the Player for (it fluctuates between $99 and $129 depending on sales.)
So you’ll have to decide how much the GPS feature is worth to you.
For me, I have a feeling the Wingman Mini may be the perfect golf speaker for me.
I don’t personally need the GPS distances, but to have a small speaker with both a hook for attaching to my bag and a magnet for cart use? That’s what I’m looking for.
With that said, having the GPS on the screen is very convenient, and is much less intrusive than having only audio distances.
If you’re looking for a fantastic-sounding GPS golf speaker and like the versatility of a built-in screen? Look no further, the Wingman View is the device for you.
But if you care more about music than about using your speaker to get yardages then I’d consider saving a few bucks and checking out either the Wingman Mini if portability is important, or the Blue Tees Player if you want big sound for your cart rounds.
Still not sure which speaker is right for you? Check out our list of the best golf Bluetooth speakers on the market.
The Wingman View is a big step up over the original Wingman. It sounds great, the GPS screen is handy, and despite a few minor issues, it does exactly what it says it'll do.
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This is Bushnell's best golf speaker yet.
The added GPS screen really elevates the functionality of this over the original Wingman. The problem? The Blue Tees Player+ does just about everything better than this speaker.
The Good
- Built in screen very useful
- Decent sound quality
- Strong built in magnet
The Bad
- Screen quality is just ok
- The unique triangular design wont be for everyone.
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Presentation
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Performance
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Price
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Personal Affinity
