Improve your rhythm: The Blue Tees Player GO GPS Review

Blue Tees have been on the rise for a while now with their accessible and stylish rangefinders. But with the release of the Player GO speaker, they’re looking to open the GPS market up to a different crowd.

There are many similar products across the different brands fighting for the title of best GPS on the market, so you need to work hard to find a product that intrigues me now. Of course, I’ve seen speakers on the golf course before, but they’re normally their own thing—great for music but nothing helpful to your actual golf game.

This is where Blue Tees is looking to change things up. They’ve released two models to the market for the golfer looking for a new GPS device as well as a portable speaker system: the Player+ and the Player GO. Both share features, but the Player+ has more built into the unit, making it a one-size-fits-all style device. The Player GO, which I’ve been testing on the course may require a connected smartphone, but it’s also less than half the price of the ‘plus’ model.

So should you spend the cash on convenience or will saving your money now cost you time in the long term?

Looks and Design – 5/5

The Blue Tees Speaker GO is a cool device. That might be a subjective statement but I don’t think you’ll find many people who aren’t happy with the sleek pill-style unit. Roughly the size of your phone, (and about two-thirds the size of the Player+) you can easily hold it in the palm of your hand while accessing any button on the device you want to.

I opted for the Black colorway and it’s great to give the model an understated look so there’s no questions being asked of me by the more traditional membership of my club as I walk with the Player GO attached to my golf bag via the loop of fabric at the top. Just below the attachment loop is the Blue Tees logo so anyone interested knows what they’re looking at but the font they’ve chosen has a timeless look reminiscent of the Titleist branding, so you’ll fit in with this tech wherever you play your golf.

The rear of the GO has a magnetic strip as well, for a simple but effective way of attaching the device to a cart or buggy. I’ve used this with both my ZIP X5 personal cart as well as snapping the unit to the side of a buggy where we’ve been racing round for a late-evening back nine.

I particularly like that, even with the magnet in use, I can access any of the buttons, especially the large action button on the front for an ultra-quick yardage response to make a decisive club choice without much need to slow – again perfect for when you’re chasing the sunlight in November!

Technology – 3/5

The simplicity of the Player GO is both its strength and its weakness. Connection with the Blue Tees GAME Golf App is required to access any on-course features but the app is easy to use and doesn’t require any real effort to set up an account to get started.

Out of the box you have access to the Front/Middle/Back yardages as well as the auto-recognition for more than 40,000 golfer courses via GPS lock-on. If you’ve got a Blue Tees Golf Membership, you can also have access to driving distances and hazard yardages through the one-button design. The app also allows you to customize the feedback you get through the Action button, with yardages and the above features available but also recommended clubs and speaker-related options like track-skipping if you don’t love what you’re listening to.

There’s also a ‘Party Mode’ feature, where you can link this device with your friends’ own Player+ or GO models to make sure you’re all sharing the same sounds and enjoying the party wherever you all are on the course. I’ve only had one opportunity to use this feature, as there aren’t many guys using the GO yet (although I guarantee there’ll be more of my fellow members grooving together soon), but it’s opened the round up to far more laughs when my more easy-going partners have been caught flashing some moves as they celebrate an iron to the middle of the green.

Because of the simplicity in these features though, there’s not much that you haven’t seen before in the GPS market so it’s not going to be ground-breaking to anyone who’s owned a GPS unit previously.

Performance – 4/5

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy my time with the Blue Tees as much as I have. I’m used to referencing a watch or laser on the golf course so I was a little skeptical that I’d actually see any additional convenience from pushing a button instead of looking down at my wrist or pulling my rangefinder out its sleeve.

What has surprised me is how much it’s allowed me to slow down and think about the shot. Because I know I only need to lean across to click the front of the unit, I’ve found myself taking the time to assess the shot mentally because I know I don’t need to either faff with opening cases or scroll through screens to find the setting I want.

The sound system itself is also incredibly good quality, with no drop off in clarity even in the highest settings – although if you need to have the volume turned all the way up I’d suggest a hearing test is the better starting point than a speaker.

The only question mark for the sound system is whether it’s tolerable for others on the golf course. We’re all there for our own personal good time and as much as I like music while I play, I don’t see a need for the volume to be as loud as it is for either disturbing groups outside of your own or for whether you’re providing yardages for your entire group which is still illegal in competition play.

The one issue I’ve had with the Player GO is that I’ve been disconnected twice while using it. Now I will say that I’ve used this model about 15-odd times while testing and for my own recreational time so it’s not been a massive issue. But both times I’ve been on the driving range and in the middle of a playlist my phone and the GO have lost connection for no discernable reason, and it’s taken a 5 minute period to correct it both times.

As I said, it’s not a big issue, but it is annoying when it happens.

Final Verdict – 12/15

There’s not much wrong with the Blue Tees Player GO. There’s obviously not a massive expectation on its shoulders with the features it offers but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by some of the changes its made to my game.

That ability to take my time and think about the shot instead of just playing to a number has been a revelation and one I’d like to see continue in my golf game. It reminded me of playing as a junior, where there are no worries about what might go wrong or if I’ve picked the perfect club for the distance. A freedom I didn’t realize I’d been missing.

When you combine the freedom of this unit with the Blue Tees Series 3 Max rangefinder in their Player Pack collection, you’ll get a tighter and even more complete experience.

Aside from the small connection drops, I’ve got no issues with what’s on offer here, and at half the price of the Big Brother Player+, I don’t see who’ll be disappointed with their Blue Tees purchase.

Rock on!

About the author

Lewis Daff

Lewis joined the Today’s Golfer digital team in 2024, having spent more than a decade in both big-box golf retail and independent stores working as a club fitter and builder.

Experienced with every level of golfer, from beginner to professional, he has achieved Master Fitter and Builder status with most major manufacturers, including Mizuno, Taylormade, and Callaway, helping him to cement both a wide and deep knowledge base, ideal for helping guide golfers towards the correct equipment for them. Lewis specializes in Clubs, Shafts, Training Aids, Launch Monitors and Grips.

In Lewis’ bag is Titleist GT3 Driver (9º) with Fujikura Ventus Black, TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Woods (15º and 18º), Wilson Staff D9 Forged 3-iron, Srixon ZX7 MKii Irons (4-PW), Titleist SM9 Wedges (52º, 60º), Toulon San Diego Putter, and Titleist ProV1X Left Dash.

Talk to Lewis about why steel shafts are now dead and graphite is the only way forward, or any other equipment you’d like to debate, via his email, Twitter, or Instagram.

RRP: £99.99 | View UK Offer | $99.99 | View US Offer

Finishes: Black / Blue

Display: Side control for volume, central 'Action' button for yardage

Waterproof: Yes, IPX7

Battery: 16+ Hours

Range: 150 Feet

Charger: USB

Connectivity: Bluetooth smartphone compatibility / "Party Mode" connection to other Blue Tees speakers