There are a lot of divisive topics in golf - the future of the relationship between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, the potential golf ball and equipment rollback, the World Handicap System, just to name a few. Although the debate over music on the golf course isn't the most important we'll ever have, that does not mean it isn't as equally intense as the ones I've mentioned above - my playing partner scowled at me when I arrived on the first tee with the Bushnell Wingman HD in my hands ahead of my first round of testing, for example.
Long story short, Bushnell's latest speaker is aimed at one particular type of golfer and you all know who you are. I sit in the middle ground in which I am very lucky to have a very prestigious golf course as my home club and therefore rules and respect are paramount, meaning myself and friends have to be very careful about where and when we play music on the links. Late summer evenings with very few players on the course is the ideal time, but we'd never blare the tunes when the course is packed with players.
This speaker is dedicated to the more casual player - the guys and girls who might only play on weekends with friends, usually in a cart, at a club with a rather relaxed general attitude to the often stuffy rules of the game. I would not class myself in this category personally, but I'm also not someone who wears a tie to the golf club before each round, so as someone in the happy middle, I was intrigued to see how the Wingman HD would perform for me.
During my first round I didn't even play music from the speaker, instead focusing on solely the golf features - and they were plentiful and brilliant. Yardages were accurate, as we've come to suspect with Bushnell products, and were beautifully displayed on the new 3.5" color HD screen, which is easy to read.
You also get overhead previews of the entire hole ahead of you as well as green view images to help you learn what is ahead of you. Not only this, but the Wingman HD conveniently provides on-screen hazard locations and layup points which I found very useful for strategic play, a notable improvement on the Bushnell Wingman View.
Access to Bushnell's GPS app comes as part of the package for this speaker and it's a really underrated tool to use on the golf course. It's one of the best golf GPS apps I've ever used and perfect for the tech-savvy player who likes to use screen devices to help plot them around the links. Live scoring allows you to follow your progress on the speaker, whilst IPX67 waterproofing means your device is safe against the elements should they arrive.
The BITE Magnetic strip on the back of the device is absolutely superb and will stick to the frame of your golf cart with ease. Unfortunately, carts aren't available to players at Royal County Down where I tested the Wingman HD, so although a helpful lanyard clip is provided so you can attach it to your bag, it kept hitting off the back of my legs as I walked.
As golf becomes more expensive, I find myself really championing pieces of golf equipment that can be used on and off the course - one example is the rise of the best spikeless golf shoes and how some of the best casual golf shoes don't look out of place in a pub or on the first tee. The Wingman HD is a product you will get a lot of use out of at home as well as on the course, whether you're a music lover like me or want a new sound system to listen to the radio or your favorite podcasts.
The aforementioned BITE Magnetic strip makes the speaker experience even better, allowing me to stick it to any magnetic surface around the house. If I'm cooking, I'll stick it above me on the extractor fan, for example. When it's not being used on the course, its new home is stuck to the light switch in my bedroom!
The sound quality on offer is superb and as good as any other speaker I've ever owned, including the likes of JBL and Bose, two big hitters in the industry. Two 15-watt speakers with 2 passive radiators ensure crisp sound, a good bass and 360° whether you're on the course or at home. The 'Concert Links' feature lets you connect up to 100 Wingman HD units together in case you fancy hosting a concert on the golf course - just be aware of players around you if so!
With an RRP of $199.99 or £199, it's not a cheap device, but considering how much use I've had with it both on and off the course, I've been nothing but impressed by the Wingman HD. Notable improvements have been made from the previous iteration and I'm confident this speaker will serve me well for years to come (and if it doesn't, there's a one year warranty included).
