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Music on the course isn’t for everyone. We get it! But the reality is, the game is getting younger and the culture of golf is evolving. Golf speakers have emerged as an essential item for those looking to blend their love for music with the sport. However, not all speakers are created equal, especially when tailored to the unique demands of golfing.
We put the most popular sub-$100 golf speakers through the ringer, evaluating them across various parameters essential for the golf course: durability, sound quality, golf-centric features, battery life, and customer support.
We looked at Bushnell, Pinned Golf, Puma, and JBL. Only one checked off all the boxes (Hint, it was the one that also had the highest-rated reviews by its customers).
Criteria for Evaluation
To ensure our review meets the needs of the discerning golfer, we focused on:
- Bang for Buck: Value needed to match the price tag.
- Golf-Centric Design: Features such as a strong magnet for cart attachment, a carabiner for bag attachment, water resistance, durability, and an extended Bluetooth range were considered crucial.
- Sound Quality: Clear, loud sound across a variety of music genres and the ability to handle calls and podcasts efficiently were key metrics.
- Battery Life: A speaker must last through an 18-hole round at a minimum.
- Durability and Support: We looked for speakers that could withstand the rigors of the golf environment and companies that stood behind their products with robust support.
Price Comparison: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck
Pinned Golf’s The Dart – $64.99
The Dart presents an attractive blend of price and quality, offering advanced features without breaking the bank.
JBL Clip 4 – $79.95
At a mid-range price, the JBL Clip 4 competes closely with specialized golf speakers by offering a portable design and reliable sound quality, positioning itself as a strong contender for golfers looking for brand reliability and performance.
Puma PopTop Mini – $40 (Plus Shipping)
The cheapest of the bunch, even when you factor in them being the only brand charging for shipping costs. This is a classic, “get what you pay for” situation when considering its performance on the greens.
Bushnell Wingman Mini – $99
The premium choice, the Wingman Mini, packs unique features that might justify its higher price for certain golfers, despite mixed results in other categories.
Golf-Centric Features: Tailored for the Tee
The Dart 2.0 by Pinned Golf
Designed for golfers, The Dart features a strong cart magnet, bag carabiner, waterproofing, and a dual-pairing feature. Its remarkable Bluetooth range ensures a seamless experience, whether walking or riding, maintaining connectivity even when far from your cart. The built-in speakerphone and class-leading battery life were cherries on top.
JBL Clip 4
While a solid performer in many settings (waterproof and a strong bag clip), misses the fairway for golf enthusiasts due to its lack of a cart magnet and a design not ta-lored for the greens. A notable hiccup is the overly sensitive power button, leading to frequent pauses in your playlist—a real buzzkill if you’re looking to groove through your game on foot. JBL’s 10-hours battery life claim is far from accurate but we didn’t have problems getting through a full 18 holes.
Puma PopTop Mini
The Puma PopTop Mini pitches itself into the golf scene with more of a whimper than a roar. Its attempt at golf integration—a carabiner clip for easy bag attachment—barely scratches the surface of what golfers truly need. The glaring omission of a magnet for cart attachment and the quirky addition of a bottle opener (seemingly useful until you remember glass is a clubhouse no-no) leave it stranded in the rough. They boast a 5-hour battery but when playing at above-average volume, it is almost a guarantee you won’t make it to the 18th hole. The real handicap, though, is its finicky Bluetooth connectivity, demanding your phone never stray more than a few feet away or risk silence. It’s like playing with a club that only works half the time.
Bushnell Wingman Mini
The Bushnell Wingman Mini combines GPS voice yardages with sound capabilities, aiming to enhance the golfing experience. Their battery life is plenty suitable for golfers and we liked how it was equipped with a magnet and carabiner for easy attachment. It falls short with its ambitious but occasionally inaccurate GPS feature. Connectivity issues and a complex user interface can also detract from its overall performance, making it a device with great potential yet hindered by execution challenges.
Sound Performance: Hitting the Right Notes
The Dart 2.0 by Pinned Golf
Navigating sound quality on the golf course, the Dart stands out with its clear acoustics, making it a top pick for those who value crisp and powerful sound during their game. The Dart (and everything else in this price range) may lack deep bass, the Dart delivers the best audio experience in its class, ensuring your music and podcasts are enjoyed to the fullest.
JBL Clip 4
While JBL is usually known for its solid sound, the Clip 4 falls a bit short for golfers. Its performance is decent, but podcasts and vocals can sometimes feel underwhelming, especially when attached to your bag and in motion.
Puma PopTop Mini
Offers adequate sound that’s fine for casual listening, but it might not satisfy those looking for a more immersive audio experience on the course. It does the job but doesn’t stand out in a crowded field.
Bushnell Wingman Mini
Delivers reliable sound quality, though it lacks a bit in volume and clarity. It’s good for background music but might not meet the expectations of those looking to really enhance their game with powerful sound.
Durability and Support: Playing the Long Game
The Dart by Pinned Golf
The Dart shines with its rugged build and exceptional customer service, backed by a 2-year hassle-free warranty and a dedicated US-based support team. Pinned Golf’s reviews are loaded with people raving about the longevity of the product.
JBL Clip 4
Durability and support for the Clip 4 are areas of concern. They offer a challenging returns process and a prorated warranty that feels more like a gamble than a guarantee. When you dig into their middle-of-the-pack customer reviews, it seems like everyone with a 1-star experience cited a battery and sound quality that fades over time.
Puma PopTop Mini
The build quality and customer support of the PopTop Mini leave room for improvement, raising questions about its longevity and service responsiveness. The carabiner started to fray on us after only a few rounds.
Bushnell Wingman Mini
While it appears well-constructed, the Wingman Mini’s reliability over time and less-than-ideal support options tarnish its premium appeal. The deal breaker for us was the fact they want you to pay extra if you want to add a warranty to the product.
Conclusion: The Best Swing for Your Buck
After a thorough review, The Dart 2.0 by Pinned Golf emerges as the top performer for golfers looking to seamlessly integrate high-quality audio into their game. It masterfully balances affordability with advanced golf-centric functionalities, superior sound quality, enduring build, and stellar brand support. Whether navigating the fairways or relaxing after a round, The Dart 2.0 ensures your music enhances your golfing experience without compromise, making it the best golf speaker under $100 on today’s market.
2 comments
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You missed the best part of the Dart… you can pair two of them.
Didn’t know I needed golf cart surround sound until I tried it