I tested the Bushnell Wingman HD Golf GPS Speaker, and it’s the rare combo device that doesn’t feel like a compromise. If you ride a cart and you want your music, your yardages and your scorecard in one place, it’s kind of a no-brainer.
Is the Bushnell Wingman HD Golf GPS Bluetooth Speaker worth buying?
Here’s the pitch. Bushnell says this one device replaces your speaker, your GPS and your scorecard. That’s a great promise, but it’s worthless if the thing is a master of none.
So I’m going to walk you through what the color screen actually adds, how it sounds, the one thing it still needs from your phone, and who should buy it. If you’re still shopping the whole category, my golf GPS speaker guide lines up the other options.
Quick Overview
- The 3.5-inch color touchscreen shows front, center and back yardages, plus a map of the hole and the green.
- Two 15-watt drivers and two passive radiators push 360-degree sound.
- Dynamic Audio handles the volume for you while the cart’s moving.
- The BITE magnet mount is built in, so it sticks straight to the cart frame.
- You keep score on the screen, and it’ll call your yardages out loud.
The Bushnell Wingman HD GPS Speaker sets a new standard for golf gadgets, merging pinpoint GPS accuracy with rich audio to elevate your game and enjoyment on the course. Explore its standout features and why it’s a top pick for pros and enthusiasts alike.
- Loud, clear 360° sound
- Accurate front/center/back GPS distances
- Durable, waterproof, magnetic cart mount
- Battery life under 2 rounds if heavily used
- GPS maps not fully interactive
- Bulky/heavy compared to smaller speakers
Bushnell Wingman HD Specs
The Wingman HD is a Bluetooth speaker with a 3.5-inch color touchscreen GPS built in, two 15-watt drivers and a BITE magnet that sticks it to your cart.
| Spec | Bushnell Wingman HD Golf GPS Speaker |
|---|---|
| Display | 3.5-inch color HD touchscreen |
| Golf data | Front, center and back distances, HoleView, GreenView, hazards and layups |
| Speakers | Two 15-watt drivers and two passive radiators, 360-degree sound |
| Audio extras | Dynamic Audio, Indoor and Outdoor EQ modes |
| Course data source | Bushnell Golf Mobile App on your phone |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, remembers up to eight paired devices |
| Multi-speaker | Concert Links, up to 100 speakers |
| Mount | Integrated BITE magnetic cart mount |
| Water rating | IP67 |
| Battery | 8 hours per Bushnell, rechargeable lithium-ion, USB-C charging |
| Size | 8.25 x 3.5 x 2.75 inches |
| Weight | 900 g, about two pounds |
| In the box | Speaker, USB charging cable, lanyard and carabiner, cleaning cloth, quick start guide |
| Subscription | Not required for core yardages, maps and hazards |
| Warranty | One-year limited |
The Color Screen Is the Whole Reason to Buy the HD
This is the big upgrade. The Bushnell Wingman View gave you a black-and-white LCD with numbers on it. The HD gives you a color touchscreen, and when I tested it, the screen was big, it was bright, and it worked with my glove on. You can actually see it in the sun.
The main screen is front, center and back. Those numbers are to the green, not the flag. If you want a number to the pin, you move the pin in the app, and “Center” changes to “Pin” on the screen.
Then you’ve got HoleView, which is the full layout of the hole, and GreenView, which shows you the shape of the green. Don’t confuse that with a slope read. GreenView tells you how the green is shaped, not which way your putt breaks. You also get hazard and layup icons, up to six hazards per hole, so you know what it takes to carry the water before you pull a club.
The little stuff is good, too. You scroll left or right to look at the previous or next hole. There’s a virtual softkey on the screen you can program to whatever you use most. And when music’s playing, the album art shows up right on the display.
One tip. Bushnell says the screen can get warm in direct sun, like your phone does, so shade it when you can.
So you glance down, you get your number, and you swing. No more digging for your phone, and no more squinting at your watch.
It Sounds Like a Real Speaker, Not a GPS With a Speaker Bolted On
This is where most combo devices fall apart. If the speaker sounds like a tin can, the whole thing’s a failure.
The HD doesn’t have that problem. When I tested it, the bass was solid. Not muddy. It’s loud enough to cut through the wind without sounding like it’s trying too hard.
And here’s the most killer feature on the audio side, Dynamic Audio. It turns itself up as the cart speeds up and back down as it slows. You don’t touch a thing. In the app you pick how hard it adjusts, from one click to five, and it only runs while you’re in a round of golf. That’s not a gimmick. It’s one less thing to fiddle with.
There’s also an Indoor mode and an Outdoor mode. Indoor is the default, and it sounds fuller. Outdoor carries the sound further. So when you get to the course, press volume up and volume down at the same time to switch it over.
The BITE Magnet Means It Never Leaves the Cart
There’s no bracket to clamp on. The magnet just locks onto your cart frame. When I tested it, the magnet was ridiculously strong. You slap it on and you forget about it. Just don’t forget it on the cart when you walk off 18.
It’s not small, either. At about two pounds, it feels like a serious piece of equipment, not a toy. That’s great on a cart.
But if you walk, this is the wrong speaker. It does come with a lanyard and a carabiner, but that much weight hanging off your bag gets old fast. The Bushnell Wingman Mini is the one built for walkers. It has no screen, and it’s a fraction of the size.
It Calls Out Your Yardages and Keeps Your Score on the Unit
You don’t even have to look at the screen. Press a button and it tells you front, center and back out loud.
Scoring lives on the speaker too. Tap the score in the top right of the yardage screen to enter it for the hole, and the scorecard lets you fix any hole you got wrong. You’re putting the score in yourself, so don’t expect it to track your fairways and putts for you.
Shot Distance works the same way. Swipe up from the yardage screen, hit Play where you hit the shot, ride to your ball and hit Pause. It’s a quick way to see how far that one actually went, but you’re starting and stopping it, not the speaker.
Then you’ve got the fun stuff. You can record your own sound bites, set up a first-tee introduction, and save a custom message for your buddy when he shanks it. And Concert Links lets you link a whole group of HDs so they all play the same music, which is a cool trick for an outing. When they’re linked during a round, only the main speaker shows the golf info.
What I Don’t Love
Here’s the catch, and it’s the one the “replaces your GPS” pitch doesn’t talk about. The Wingman HD isn’t a standalone GPS. You set it up through the Bushnell Golf app on your phone, and you start your round there. So your phone still comes along, and it has to stay connected. If you want yardages with no phone at all, that’s a different kind of speaker, and the Mileseey GeneSonic Pro is the one I’d look at, because it has its own GPS chip built in.
The second downside is the battery. It lasted a full round for me, easy. But Bushnell only rates it for about eight hours, which might not be enough for 36 holes. And if you use it to charge your phone, that comes out of the speaker’s battery too. So on a 36-hole day, plug it in at lunch.
The last one’s small. There’s no remote in the box. Older Wingmans had one, so if you liked triggering yardages from your pocket, you’re using the buttons or the screen now.
The Bushnell Wingman HD GPS Speaker sets a new standard for golf gadgets, merging pinpoint GPS accuracy with rich audio to elevate your game and enjoyment on the course. Explore its standout features and why it’s a top pick for pros and enthusiasts alike.
- Loud, clear 360° sound
- Accurate front/center/back GPS distances
- Durable, waterproof, magnetic cart mount
- Battery life under 2 rounds if heavily used
- GPS maps not fully interactive
- Bulky/heavy compared to smaller speakers
Who It’s For
Buy it if:
- You ride a cart and you want one device on the frame instead of two.
- You want a big color screen you can read in the sun.
- You’re sick of reaching over to turn the music up every time the cart gets going.
- You’d rather keep score on the device than on a pencil card.
Skip it if:
- You walk and carry your bag.
- You want yardages that work without your phone.
- You love your GPS watch and you just want music.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Bushnell Wingman HD require a subscription?
No. Front, center and back yardages, HoleView, GreenView and hazards are free. Bushnell Golf Plus is optional. It adds green heat maps, live wind speed and direction, slope compensation, and Elements and PlayAs. I’d start without it and only pay if you find yourself missing those.
How do you pair the Bushnell Wingman HD?
There are two parts. For golf, download the Bushnell Golf Mobile App, add Wingman HD as a device and follow the prompts. For music, press the B button twice to go into pairing mode, then pick “Wingman HD Audio” in your phone’s Bluetooth settings. After that, it reconnects to the last phone it was paired with when you turn it on.
How do you update the Bushnell Wingman HD?
Through the app. Open the Bushnell Golf app, go to your Wingman HD, and use Software Update to check for new firmware. Do it at home the night before, not on the first tee.
Is the Bushnell Wingman HD waterproof?
It’s rated IP67. But Bushnell’s own manual says not to expose it to heavy rain or a direct stream of water, and it won’t survive being submerged. So don’t leave it out in a downpour, and don’t let it go in the pond.
Will the Wingman HD’s magnet damage credit cards?
It can. Bushnell warns the BITE magnet can damage credit and ATM cards, hard drives, mechanical watches and hearing aids, and it could affect pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. So keep it out of the pocket with your wallet, and keep it away from anybody wearing one of those devices.
Final Thoughts: Bushnell Wingman HD Golf GPS Bluetooth Speaker Review
So here’s my call. If you ride and you play with music, this is the one I’d put on the cart, and you can grab it through the box above.
If you walk, or you already love your watch, keep your money. And if you want to see what else is out there first, start with my golf GPS speaker guide.
About the author
Paul Liberatore
Paul Liberatore is the founder of Golfers Authority and a former three-year golf gear contributor to Sports Illustrated. He tests golf equipment hands-on to help golfers make better buying decisions.