Shows / Gear Smart
Gear Smart
Which clubs should you be playing? Why are wedge grinds important? What the hell is Smash Factor and why does it matter? There's a lot to unpack in each of these questions. And Ryan Barath, Skratch's resident Gear Czar, has the answer. Every other week, Barath will be answering a selection of the hundreds of real reader questions he gets each week on Instagram, talking to the leading innovators in the gear space, and delivering the need-to-know information that can turn any dedicated golf fan…
Episodes
- Gear Smart
Hybrids aren't dead, TRTL is officially here and answering your fitting questions
The No. 1 selling putter in Japan is officially here. Ryan shares everything to know about the new Odyssey TRTL, plus shares why hybrids aren't dead on tour…
- Gear Smart
Limited drivers in India, Chippers (yes chippers), and out of the box ideas
This week on the DP World Tour in India, we saw a number of players go with the no driver strategy. Plus we chat about why a chipper could be a score saver for…
- Gear Smart
Michael Brennan's gear, odd putters, wide shoes and listener questions
In this week's episode, Ryan dives into Michael Brennan's winning bag at the Baycurrent Classic, weird putters, including the Odyssey "TRTL", wide shoes and…
- Gear Smart
More mini drivers on DP World Tour plus New McLaren irons and PXG woods
There was plenty of new gear spotted out on the DP World Tour this past week. Ryan breaks down Adrian Meronk's winning bag at the Alfred Dunhill Links…
- Gear Smart
Presidents Cup, LPGA Tour Issues, & the greatest technology advances in golf history
Ryan recaps an electric Presidents Cup then dives into Yuna Nishamura's winning bag at the LPGA's Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and recent news of the…
- Gear Smart
New Srixon ZXi RKT Woods + Listener Q&A
It's Presidents Cup week! Ryan breaks down the new ZXi RKT woods from Srixon then dives into listener questions from Instagram.
- Gear Smart
Why a fall fitting is a great idea, buying clubs from Japan, and the story of Sonartec
In this week's episode, Ryan shares some long-term reviews of gear products, makes the case for why the fall is the perfect time to get fit for new golf clubs…
- Gear Smart
Chatting with Joseph LaMagna from The Fried Egg about data, course fit and strategy
Ryan is joined by Joseph LaMagna for a wide-ranging conversation about covering the game of golf, utilizing data, strategy and understanding course fit.
- Gear Smart
Mizuno releases the S4, Ping drops the price on 440s, and PGA TOUR season gear recap
With the 2025-2026 PGA TOUR season officially ending, Ryan recaps the season in terms of gear, breaks down everything you need to know about Mizuno's…
- Gear Smart
Wyndham wins again, the NEW Scotty Cameron and the rise and fall of Nickent
We're breaking down Wyndham Clark's dominate win at the BMW Championship and previewing the TOUR Championship, including why the ball flys longer in humid…
- Gear Smart
Scottie's big driver switch, IKEA golf storage hacks and chatting Cleveland wedges with Patrick Ripp
RIP to Scottie's Qi10. Ryan dives into his swap into the TaylorMade Qi4D, and the numbers that helped lead to his win in Memphis. He also discusses…
- Gear Smart
Talking Callaway Mini Spinner with Jacob Davidson
This week we're joined by Jacob Davidson, Callaway's VP of Product Strategy and Category Management, to discuss the new Callaway Quantum Mini Spinner, products…
- Gear Smart
Cleveland RTZ 2 wedges, how to choose an iron for your game, and building a bag for $500
Ryan breaks down the new Cleveland RTZ 2 wedges, the biggest changes from the original RTZs and Roger Cleveland's impact now that he's back with the company…
- Gear Smart
Rocket Classic Gear and Scotland Trip Recap
Ryan is back after a week off in Scotland! He recaps the trip, and also discusses Ryan Fox's Open win, Jenny Shin's Scottish Open win and more. He also breaks…
- Gear Smart
Scottish Open, Chris Gotterup's winning bag, and the world of custom putters
On this week's episode, Ryan breaks down Chris Gotterup's winning bag from the John Deere Classic, including the problem with his putter that he shouldn't…
- Gear Smart
Viktor Hovland's driver switch and Haeran Ryu's unique bag set up
Ryan breaks down Viktor Hovland's win over Scottie Scheffler, including details on his driver switch, dives into Gary Woodland's bag and ribbed grips that he…
- Gear Smart
Talking U.S. Open gear, golf ball rollback and ribbed grips
Ryan recaps Wyndham Clark's win at the U.S. Open and breaks down the biggest differences in his golf bag compared to his 2023 victory. He also dives into his…
- Gear Smart
Previewing the U.S. Open and talking ball R&D with Callaway's Eric Loper
U.S. Open week is here! Ryan previews this week's gear news before chatting with Callaway's Sr. Director of Golf Ball R&D, Eric Loper, about their design…
- Gear Smart
RBC Canadian Open gear, lead tape on irons, and questions from listeners
The PGA TOUR is in Ryan's backyard this week at the RBC Canadian Open. He stopped by TPC Toronto to check out what's in players bags and finally got to check…
- Gear Smart
Talking Golf Ball Alignment with Titleist's Michael Fish
Ryan dives into the success of mallet's on tour and why more players are leaning into alignment technology from tee to green. He also shares why if you're…
- Gear Smart
Gear Smart Hot Line Q&A, plus is it worth practicing with less forgiving clubs?
Ryan dives into Jacob Bridgeman's unique practice routine, discusses if it's worthwhile to practice with less forgiving clubs, and dives into listener…
- Gear Smart
Breaking Down Aaron Rai's Golf Bag + A Sneaky Conforming List Find
Ryan breaks down the newest equipment of the week then dives into the PGA Championship and what winner Aaron Rai has in the bag. He's also breaking down the…
- Gear Smart
Talking PGA Gear News + Titleist GTS drivers with the people behind the designs
It's a major week with MAJOR gear news. Titleist's new GTS line is officially available for fittings, so Ryan sat down with Sr. VP of Golf Club R&D Chuck…
- Gear Smart
New Titleist Mini & Talking LIV vs PGA TOUR
Ryan discusses the new gear releases of the week, including the McLaren Series 3 irons and the Titleist Mini Driver, then dives into the LIV Golf vs. PGA TOUR…
- Gear Smart
McLaren Golf is here, what you can learn from Nelly's irons and new spring releases
Ryan dives into McLaren Golf's new tour pro ambassadors, then breaks down Nelly Korda's dominant win at at the Chevron Championship–and what you can learn from…
- Gear Smart
Talking Titleist Ball Fitting with Patrick Dewar
Patrick Dewar, Titleist's Associate Tour Consultant for Ball Performance, joins this week's episode to discuss the ball testing process, fitting tour pros, how…
- Gear Smart
RBC Chat and asking the question- are there too many golf clubs?
We're back after an exciting week at the Masters! Ryan dives into the club changes this week at RBC Heritage, new releases and debates the question– are there…
- Gear Smart
Talking Masters with Club Junkie's Brian Knudson!
It's MASTERS week and we're talking all things gear ahead of the action at Augusta National. Ryan is joined by Golf WRX's Club Junkie, Brian Knudson, to talk…
- Gear Smart
A deep dive into the BEST golf bags
Ryan kicks off this week's episode breaking down Gary Woodland's incredible win at the Texas Children's Houston Open and why his equipment fits his game so…
Gear SmartTitleist's surprise GTS drop and talking TaylorMade Spider success with James Holley
Ryan dives into a surprise Titleist announcement this past Sunday and what we know so far about their new GTS line of drivers and fairway woods. He also…
Gear SmartCam Young's Secret Hybrid & talking with Cleveland Tour Engineering Manager Patrick Ripp
Ryan dives into The PLAYERS Championship and the "off-menu" hybrid in Cam Young's bag that helped him win, and how it can help you too. Then he chats with…
Gear SmartGear changes from big names at THE PLAYERS
Ryan is fresh from a few days at TPC Sawgrass ahead of THE PLAYERS Championship talking about the gear changes tour pros made ahead of the tournament, visiting…
Gear SmartDiving into Callaway Golf's latest driver face tech, Chrome Tour balls, and more with Jacob Davidson and Brian Williams
On this week's episode, Ryan sits down with Callaway Golf's Jacob Davidson, VP of Global Tours, and Brian Williams, VP of R&D to chat about driver face…
Gear SmartTalking Vokey Wedges and Design with Titleist's Kevin Tassistro
Vokey Director of Wedge Development Kevin Tassistro joins this week's episode of Gear Smart to chat about their new SM11s, the process of designing wedges, how…
Gear SmartCollin Morikawa's winning new putter, Srixon's Blackout line and more gear changes of the week
There were some big gear changes at Pebble Beach last week that proved successful. Ryan breaks down Collin Morikawa's winning new putter, Min Woo Lee's swap to…
Gear SmartBack to blades for Rory at Pebble + More Mini drivers, and a controversial Q&A
Coming off his switch to cavity back irons, Rory McIlroy is back in blades at Pebble Beach. Ryan breaks down what it means and what the biggest differences are…
Gear SmartTalking club design with New Level Golf's Andy Hennis
Ryan breaks down Justin Rose's equipment free-agent win at Torrey Pines, previews gear changes ahead of WM Phoenix Open and shares more about week testing new…
Gear SmartBrooks is back, Scottie Wins again, and answering your questions on gear
Ahead of Brooks Koepka =PGA TOUR return this week, Ryan breaks down what he's got in his bag–including a very old Nike club. Then Ryan chats about Scottie…
Gear SmartSpeed Golf Rob on his adventure into speed golf and how it changed his game
It's PGA Show week, so Ryan breaks down all the new gear that's dropping, including the Titleist SM11s, and chats about Chris Gotterup's win in Hawaii using…
Gear SmartTalking Cobra OPTM, PXG Irons, Equipment Contracts, plus another mailbag question
Ryan is diving into more equipment hitting the USGA conforming list, including a new PING mini driver. Then he breaks down Cobra's new OPTM line, the PXG Gen 8…
Gear SmartMizuno, TaylorMade and more new releases of 2026
Ryan breaks down the fresh 2026 launches of the week, including Mizuno irons, drivers, and putters, TaylorMade's Qi4D driver, and the Titleist ProV1x Left…
Gear SmartQ&A from the all new listener line and more to end 2025
Ryan wraps up gear news in 2025 and answers YOUR questions from our new listener hot line! Do you have a gear question for Ryan? Give him a call at…
Gear SmartChatting 2025 gear trends with GolfWRX Club Junkie Brian Knudson
Gear heads, rejoice! Ryan is joined this week by the Club Junkie himself, Brian Knudson of GolfWRX to chat about the year's new clubs, trends on TOUR, and…
Gear SmartNew drivers hit the conforming list and why club technology matters
Ryan breaks down new equipment at the Australian Open and Hero World Challenge then dives into new drivers that hit the conforming list, PXG's Lightning Series…
Gear SmartDiscussing Gear of the Year and this week's newest releases
We're going back-to-back weeks to talk about all the latest in golf equipment as brands are dropping gift-friendly items. Then Ryan breaks down the gear of the…
Gear SmartNew Drivers Galore! TaylorMade and Ping debut news clubs in Abu Dhabi
The new 2026 releases are slowing starting to appear in the bags of players. Ryan breaks down new TaylorMade and Ping drivers spotted in Abu Dhabi and the…
Gear SmartFrom new to old: this week's gear releases and breaking down a used club haul
Ryan dives into the equipment implications of The Sentry's cancellation, the latest gear releases from this past week, and an epic haul of used clubs from his…
Gear SmartCatching up on the latest gear drops and answering YOUR questions
Ryan dives into the details of the latest drops in golf gear and answers your questions.
Gear SmartTalking Ventus, and tour product development with Fujikura's Marshall Thompson
Ryan is joined by Fujikura tour rep Marshall Thompson to chat about the Ventus line, product development, their major success this year and more.
Gear SmartAll things gear with St Andrews' only agnostic club fitter Adam Legg
Ryan Barath is joined by St Andrew's only independent club fitter Adam Legg to talk about how he got into the industry, the expectations people should have for…
Gear SmartTalking Callaway Iron and Wedge development with Zack Oakley
Ryan dives into Tommy Fleetwood's breakthrough PGA TOUR win at the TOUR Championship before being joined by Callaway's Zack Oakley to discuss iron and wedge…
Gear SmartCameron Young wins with proto ball and talking MG5 with TaylorMade’s Matt Bovee
Ryan Barath dives into Cameron Young's Wyndham Championship victory using a prototype Titleist ball before chatting with Matt Bovee, TaylorMade's Global…
Gear SmartGoing Deep with Titleist’s Own “Iron Man” Marni Ines
Ryan sits down with Titleist Director of Iron Development Marni Ines to talk about the new T-Series line, creating irons that merge technology and aesthetics…
Gear SmartScotland Golf Trip Download and Talking TaylorMade's Grand Slam Winning Fairway Woods
Ryan breaks down his two weeks across the pond, including his golf trip in Scotland and the Open Championship before chatting with TaylorMade Director of…
Gear SmartTalking Golf Balls and the Rise of Visual technology With Callaway's Jason Finley
Callaway Golf Global Director Brand and Product Management of Golf Balls and Packaged Sets Jason Finley joins this week's episode to chat with Ryan about golf…
Gear SmartJustice for lefty golfers, caddying at the Old Course and club building with Shane Bacon
Golf broadcaster, podcaster, and author Shane Bacon joins this week's episode of Gear Smart to chat about being a lefty, playing baseball as a righty, caddying…
Gear SmartListener Q&A Deep Dive and New Product Wrap Up
This week Ryan opens the show discussing the many new releases from this week in gear, including Cobra's Chipotle Collab, new Wilson Wedges, and more. Then its…
Gear SmartBrysons Irons, New Titleist’s Debut and talking shop with Callaway's Johnny Thompson
Ryan breaks down Bryson's unique irons used during the PGA Championship, dives into Titleist's sneak peek of their latest T-series irons debuting on tour this…
Gear SmartGear Smart Episode 4: Talking gear with club designer Jeff Sheets
R&D veteran Jeff Sheets joins Ryan Barath on this week's episode to discuss building clubs, driver designs, playing with blades and more.
Gear SmartGear Smart Episode 3: Nico Darras of Golf Blueprint
Nico Darras of Golf Blueprint joins Ryan on this week's episode to talk about their shared loved for gear, how he got into the game, the proper way to get fit…