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Gear Smart

Skratch

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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  • 20 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 53 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • S2 · E39
    October 8 · 54 min

    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 Championship, then shares everything to know about the new Series 2 irons from McLaren, PXG Woods and more mini drives hitting the tour.

  • S2 · E37
    September 24 · 58 min

    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.

  • S2 · E33
    August 27 · 50 min

    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 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.

  • S2 · E32
    August 20 · 57 min

    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 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.

  • S2 · E31
    August 13 · 59 min

    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 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.

  • S2 · E29
    July 30 · 58 min

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

  • S2 · E27
    July 9 · 50 min

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

  • S2 · E26
    July 2 · 46 min

    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 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.

  • S2 · E25
    June 25 · 56 min

    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 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.

  • S2 · E23
    June 11 · 51 min

    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 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.

  • S2 · E22
    June 4 · 51 min

    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 looking for new irons, an older set might be more valuable for your game than the latest releases. Then Ryan chats with Titleist's Sr. Manager of Golf Ball Product Management, Michael Fish, to discuss the evolution of golf ball alignment preferences, why players are focused on alignment precision and their advancements in research and technology.

  • S2 · E20
    May 21 · 43 min

    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 practice routine of tour pros and answers a listener question on how players are winning with older drivers without them becoming non-conforming.

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes