What They Have in Common
Both are touchscreen, color-display GPS devices preloaded with 40,000+ courses (Player+: 40,000; S44: 43,000), with free course updates and hazard view. Both charge via USB-C. Both handle water — the Player+ is IPX7, the S44 is 5 ATM. Neither requires a subscription for the core experience.
Where They Differ
They're not really the same product category
This comparison deserves a reality check upfront: the Blue Tees Player+ is a cart-mounted GPS speaker. The Garmin Approach S44 is a GPS watch. They share GPS functionality, but they're solving different problems. The Player+ sits on your cart, reads yardages aloud (30W, dual-driver, 360°), and doubles as a power bank for your phone. The S44 sits on your wrist and quietly gives you everything you need on a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen.
If you play cart golf and want a speaker blasting hole info while you cruise the fairway, the Player+ makes sense. If you walk, or if you want something that goes everywhere you go (and not just on the cart), the S44 wins by default.
Display and course data
The Player+ has a 3-inch color touchscreen — noticeably bigger than the S44's 1.2-inch screen, but they're meant to be used differently. The Player+ sits on the dash; the S44 is on your wrist. The S44's AMOLED display is genuinely excellent in sunlight, which matters when you're checking yardages mid-round. MIP and LCD screens vary; AMOLED consistently reads well outdoors.
On-device course data is also different. The Player+ gives you front/center/back yardages and hazard detection. Full hole maps, green view, and flyover all require the Blue Tees app on your phone — so it's not as phone-independent as it might look. The S44 handles full-color hole maps and green view directly on the watch. Neither has green contours in the free tier (Garmin locks those behind a $99.99/yr membership).
Battery life
The Player+ claims 11 hours at 50% volume, with reviewers reporting 36 holes on a charge — respectable for a device that's also pushing audio. The S44 hits 15 hours in GPS mode and 10 days in watch mode. If you're a cart golfer doing back-to-back rounds without a charger, the Player+'s battery actually holds up fine. If you want a device that doesn't need charging daily, the S44's watch-mode battery is in a different class.
Shot tracking and scoring
Both track score and shots, but differently. The Player+ does manual shot measuring and score tracking. The S44 does too — no AutoShot here — but it's also compatible with Garmin's CT10 club sensors (sold separately, around $200 for a full set) for automatic tracking. Neither includes sensors in the box.
The discontinued factor
The Player+ is discontinued. Blue Tees now sells the Player Pro, which adds on-device features and IP67 dust resistance. The Player+ is only available through retailers at this point — same list price as before, but no future firmware updates or product support. That's worth factoring in at $199.99. The S44 launched in January 2025 and carries a full 1-year Garmin warranty.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the Blue Tees Player+ if:
- You play cart golf almost exclusively and want a speaker announcing yardages without pulling out your phone
- You've already got a GPS watch and want a cart-mounted companion with audio
- You're getting it at a genuine closeout discount below $150 and just need functional GPS for a season or two
- You regularly need to top up your phone battery mid-round (the power bank feature is genuinely handy)
Get the Garmin Approach S44 if:
- You walk the course or switch between walking and riding
- You want a device that's always on your wrist, not mounted somewhere on the cart
- You care about smart notifications on the course without reaching for your phone
- You want a device that's still supported, under warranty, and will receive updates
- You want 15 hours of GPS battery in a 42g form factor you'll forget you're wearing
The Bottom Line
These are different devices for different golfers. The Player+ is a cart speaker with GPS built in; the S44 is a GPS watch. The S44 wins as a GPS device on almost every dimension: better display, longer battery, wrist-worn convenience, active product support, and a clean on-device interface that doesn't rely on your phone for full hole maps. The $100 price gap is real, but you're getting a genuinely different category of product for it. If you're on the fence between a speaker and a watch, the watch usually wins — you can still listen to music from your phone, but you can't get GPS data from a speaker when you're walking the back nine.
Get the Garmin Approach S44.