TecTecTec TEAM8 E Earbuds
For the modern golfer, juggling clubs, scorecards, and rangefinders can disrupt the flow of their game. Enter the TecTecTec Team8 E earbuds, golf-specific earbuds that combine GPS guidance with streaming music. Paired with your smart phone of choice, the Team8 E earbuds provide an interesting new on-course golf experience different than anything I’ve experienced.
Out of the Box
The TecTecTec Team8 E arrives in a small box with the earbuds nestled securely in their charging case. Included are a USB charging cable, three sizes of ear tips, and a user manual. The earbuds themselves come in a sleek gray or yellow design, and feel lightweight and comfortable in hand.
Pairing them with a smartphone is a breeze. First, download and install the TecTecTec app through your phone’s respective app store. Next, open the charging case and the Bluetooth settings on your phone, press the button on the case (with earbuds still in the case), and pair them on your phone.
Now that your Team8 E earbuds are paired to your phone, you need to connect them in the TecTecTec app. When you open the app, it should show the earbuds under “My Devices” so you can select them and get started. The app itself is user-friendly, offering course downloads and customization options for the earbuds’ GPS features.
Features
On a surface level, the TecTecTec Team8 E earbuds have pretty basic features. They play music and work with your phone as any typical pair of earbuds would. However, they also have practical golf course functionality that your Air Pods don’t…
The Team8 E has a unique combination of functionalities:
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GPS Guidance: The right earbud features a single touch button that delivers yardages to the front, middle, and back of the green, letting you customize your preference. Double-tapping the button relays the distance to the nearest hazard.
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High-Quality Audio: Whether you’re streaming music for pre-shot focus or listening to podcasts between holes, the Team8 E aims to provide clear, crisp sound.
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Shot Distance Tracking: This allows you to track the distance of your shots by tapping the button after each swing.
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Long Battery Life: TecTecTec advertises a 9-hour battery life at lower volumes, with the charging case offering an additional 3 charges. This should be sufficient for a multi-round trip without needing to scramble for a power outlet.
On-Course Performance
I’d start this section by pointing out that it may be difficult to use the TecTecTec Team8 E earbuds in a social golf setting. While they do a great job blocking out noise, this can make communicating with your playing partners difficult. Even with one earbud in, hearing can be difficult. Only using one earbud also reduces some of the feature capabilities. For instance, with just the right earbud in your ear, the single touch distance readouts don’t work. If you have both earbuds in, they work as expected. Interestingly, with just the left earbud, the single touch phone/music controls still work.
The touch controls work well and the Team8 E earbuds are pretty simple to use. Audio is clear and the information is concise. These aren’t going to necessarily have better audio than some fancy Bose earbuds, but those also don’t have golf GPS functionality and are WAY more expensive. The Team8 E is also perfectly comfortable and I didn’t mind wearing them for a majority of my 18 holes. While I didn’t put the Team8 E through any major golfing marathons, I never had any issues with battery life either.
More importantly, the yardages fed from the phone app seemed consistently accurate. It was nice just walking up to the tee box and having the distance of the next hole automatically read out to me. I think my one point of feedback is that I would like to see bit more of an interactive app with more features included in it (maps, score keeping, etc…). Note: you can use the app on its own for basic distance should you forget your Team8 Es at home.
Final Thoughts – TecTecTec TEAM8 E Earbuds
The TecTecTec Team8 E earbuds are a unique product for golfers seeking a hands-free approach to GPS on the course. However, they could be a bit more complicated to deal with when golfing with other people. I certainly see a ton of value in the Team8 E for my solo weekday morning rounds. These rounds typically take place super early before the kids are up for school and I try to play as fast as possible, which is often aided by playing alone. Having earbuds feeding me distance information might be able to help me just keep cruising with the basic distances I need on each shot. Golfers who value convenience and can appreciate a bit of technological innovation, the Team8 Es are certainly worth a look.
