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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 into a bona fide gear head.

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Check latest episodes from Gear Smart podcast

Presidents Cup, LPGA Tour Issues, & the greatest technology advances in golf history

2026/10/01

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 tour's new CMO departing. He also breaks down the greatest technology advances in golf history.

New Srixon ZXi RKT Woods + Listener Q&A

2026/09/24

It's Presidents Cup week! Ryan breaks down the new ZXi RKT woods from Srixon then dives into listener questions from Instagram.

Why a fall fitting is a great idea, buying clubs from Japan, and the story of Sonartec

2026/09/17

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, explains into the used club market in Japan and what makes it so special, and dives deep into the story of what happened to Sonartec.

Chatting with Joseph LaMagna from The Fried Egg about data, course fit and strategy

2026/09/10

Ryan is joined by Joseph LaMagna for a wide-ranging conversation about covering the game of golf, utilizing data, strategy and understanding course fit.

Mizuno releases the S4, Ping drops the price on 440s, and PGA TOUR season gear recap

2026/09/03

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 more-forgiving Signature Series S4 iron, plus Ping drops the price on their 440 models–what does this mean?

Wyndham wins again, the NEW Scotty Cameron and the rise and fall of Nickent

2026/08/27

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 conditions. Then we're breaking down the new Scotty Camera 9.5R, why this is the year of the mallet, and taking a deep dive into the rise and fall of Nickent.

Scottie's big driver switch, IKEA golf storage hacks and chatting Cleveland wedges with Patrick Ripp

2026/08/20

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 TaylorMade's new Hi-Toe 5 wedges, interesting gear set ups at the BMW Championship, the biggest things people waste money on in golf, his IKEA golf storage hacks and more. Then he's joined by Cleveland/Srixon's Tour Engineering Manager Patrick Ripp to chat all things wedges, Roger Cleveland's return to the company, and more.

Talking Callaway Mini Spinner with Jacob Davidson

2026/08/13

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 in Japan and more. Ryan also discusses what the right shaft for your swing can do for your game, the five things in golf that are worth the money, and answers a question from a listener about specialty pitching wedges.

Cleveland RTZ 2 wedges, how to choose an iron for your game, and building a bag for $500

2026/08/06

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. Then he discusses both sides of the online debate of how to select the right iron for your game. He also has some fun building a bag for less than $500.

Rocket Classic Gear and Scotland Trip Recap

2026/07/30

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 down the new gear he spotted at this week's Rocket Classic and the latest new releases.

Scottish Open, Chris Gotterup's winning bag, and the world of custom putters

2026/07/09

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 solve. He also dives into Scottish Open gear, the world of custom putters, shares more on Titleist's new Black Vapor T-Series irons,

Viktor Hovland's driver switch and Haeran Ryu's unique bag set up

2026/07/02

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 noticed at a recent shoot, and why KPMG Women's PGA Champion Haeran Ryu has one of the most unique bag set ups on the LPGA Tour.

Talking U.S. Open gear, golf ball rollback and ribbed grips

2026/06/25

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 recent swap to a Ping putter. He also shares more about the equipment changes he saw at Shinnecock, including Bryson DeChambeau's new driver. He also chats about the governing bodies announcement on the potential golf ball rollback and previews this week's Travelers Championship.

Previewing the U.S. Open and talking ball R&D with Callaway's Eric Loper

2026/06/18

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 philosophy, their investment in ball R&D, utilizing AI and more.

RBC Canadian Open gear, lead tape on irons, and questions from listeners

2026/06/11

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 out the new GTS proto fairway wood in person. Then he dives into why players utilize lead tape on their irons, and the trend of mallets winning on tour.