Sam Tremlett
Practice makes perfect in golf. But have you considered honing your striking skills with a bit of background music? Hooking yourself up to a pair of headphones can really help you focus, why do you think more and more professionals are using headphones whilst warming up at tournaments? After all, who hasn't been down at the range and had screaming kids, blaring ring tones and annoying chatter in the bay next door upset their rhythm?
This is why we’ve rounded up the best headphones for golf. All the pairs listed below are wireless in-ear headphones because we think they lend themselves best to practice thanks to their secure fit and versatility a little better than the best golf speakers. Wired headphones could leave you tangled up, while over-ear headphones are on the bulky side and can slide around while you're swinging.
All the pairs listed below also offer solid battery life and great sound quality so you can appreciate your favorite tunes and really get in the swing groove. Read on for our pick of the best headphones for golf or alternatively, check out our guides on the best golf training aids or best portable launch monitors to really make the most of your practice time.
Best Headphones For Golf
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Transparent mode: Yes
Battery: 6hrs (BT and ANC), 18hrs from case
IP rating: IPX4
+ Superb noise-cancelling
+ Fantastic sound quality
- A little bulky
If your budget can stretch, we’ve no hesitation recommending the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds as great headphones for golf. Thanks to the combination of lightweight design, and soft eartips they’re comfortable and easy to live with, while the noise-cancelling is next-level. You can adjust it in the companion app and also customize the touch controls for each earbud.
Battery life is okay at around six hours per charge, but it’s the exciting sound that keeps you coming back for more. The QuietComfort Earbuds fire out music with power and dynamism and their enthusiasm encourages you to just keep swinging.
Noise-cancelling: No
Transparent mode: No
Battery: 10hrs, plus 10hrs from case
IP rating: IPX4
+ Compact and comfortable
+ Balanced, musical sound
- No noise-cancelling
Another great pair of cheap wireless golf headphones for anyone on a budget. There isn’t any noise-cancelling which is hardly a shock at this level, but these Sony’s tick all the boxes you’d expect at the price point.
Battery life is a healthy 10 hours and you get an extra 10 from the charging case, and they work with Sony’s own Headphones Connect app so you can fine-tune their built-in controls. The IPX4 rating means they’re resistant to splashes too. And they’re a sonically balanced pair of earbuds too, displaying a natural, even-handed approach to playing your favorite tunes. Definitely a pair to audition.
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Transparent mode: Yes
Battery: 8hrs (BT and ANC), 16hrs from case
IP rating: IPX4
+ Sensational sound quality
+ Great battery life
- Limited ear tip choices
If you like the look of the Sonys above but want extra features such as noise-cancelling and a big boost in sound quality, then we’d suggest taking a look at the WF-1000XM4.
They’re not cheap but they are fantastic all-rounders and justify their heftier price tag with fantastic sound quality and an excellent suite of useful features. Speak-To-Chat, for example, allows you to have conversation without removing the earbuds so you don’t even need to remove them while you’re on the range. There are also touch controls and a powerful sound processor which takes everything the WF-C500 do well and manages to do it even better.
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Transparent mode: Yes
Battery: 7.5hrs, 25hrs from case
IP rating: IPX4
+ Outstanding sound quality
+ Excellent noise cancelling
- Can come slightly loose when running
We found these Technics headphones to be outstanding for practice sessions because the quality of the noise cancelling technology is right up there with the best. Additionally the quality of the sound is excellent whilst the earbud design stayed firmly in place during the golf swing (although when running they occasionally came slightly loose).
They connect quickly using Bluetooth, charging is seamless, and they come in a premium charging case that really gives a high-quality feel. Finally you also get loads of ear bud sizes to suit all ears and we like the fact these come in different colors ranging from black, to blue, to grey.
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Transparent mode: Yes
Battery: 5.5hrs (BT and ANC), 18hrs from case
IP rating: IPX4
+ Easy to use
+ Excellent noise cancelling
- Better sound quality available
Another Technics model to mention is the latest AZ40M2 design pictured here. Basically these are the more budget-friendly model compared to the ones above but still perform extremely well. There’s noise-cancelling tech and battery life is 5.5hrs (plus 18hrs from the charging case). It’s easy to get to grips with the touch controls which are responsive and nice to use.
And both noise-cancelling and sound quality are excellent for the money. For us, the star of the show is multipoint connectivity to three devices as well which makes it easy to use. A great buy for golfers on a budget.
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Transparent mode: Yes
Battery: Up to 5 hours, 24 hours from case
IP rating: IPX4
+ Good noise cancellation
+ Nice fit
- Can get loose during workouts
Featuring a customizable fit to deliver all-day comfort and Active Noise Cancellation, the Air Pods Pro are a joy to use (we've got them ourselves) and, whilst not entirely golf specific, are very easy and comfortable to wear whilst practicing at the range or at the golf club. The additional microphones provide strong noise-cancelling, as well as a useful Transparency mode, which really does let the outside world in.
It’s a well-implemented feature, with the world fading slowly in and out when Transparency is turned on. Overall if you want some well-fitting buds with strong sound quality, as well as noise-cancellation, then these are an excellent model to go for.
How to choose the best headphones for golf
Battery life
One of the big things to consider is battery life. You don't want your headphones running out of juice before the end of your practice session. Thankfully all the pairs in this list last at least six hours with some even topping out at ten. And that's before you've topped them up with the supplied charging case.
Comfort
Everyone's ears are different. Which means finding the right pair for you can be tricky. So you might want to try out a couple fo different pairs to see which ones you gel with on the range. Don't forget to experiment with the different ear tips that the manufacturer provides to make sure you get the perfect seal. Otherwise, bass performance will suffer.
Noise cancelling
The isolation you get from a normal pair of in-ear headphones tends to be pretty good. But if you want to cut out any and all external distractions and concentrate on your swing, then noise-cancelling headphones are where it's at. Most pairs that offer this functionality also offer a transparency mode which will allow in some external noise if you desire.
Budget
In the world of headphones there are seemingly models at every price point so we definitely recommend having a number in mind, or an awareness of how much you want to spend.
FAQs
Why are pro golfers wearing headphones?
We have seen a lot of Tour professionals wearing headphones of late and this is during practice so they can block out noise and distractions whilst they go about honing their games. Many players also just like to listen to music or podcasts so it kind of gets rid of the monotony of practice as well.
Can you wear headphones when playing golf?
In recreational play, yes you can play in headphones when playing golf, and you can also do it in competition but there are a few things to be aware of. First, Rule 4.3a (4) covers this and it basically says you can listen to audio, or watch video, as long as it is unrelated to the competition. For example a new report or background music is fine. However you should be wary of playing music too loud to distract other players, and playing golf in headphones means you might fail to hear FORE shouts and such.
