Podcast charts
Published by 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.
On the charts
Every published chart this podcast appears in, in the snapshot behind this page. Each one links to the chart it came off.
From the feed
The latest episodes published to this podcast’s own RSS feed. Titles and descriptions are the publisher’s.
Ryan is joined by Joseph LaMagna for a wide-ranging conversation about covering the game of golf, utilizing data, strategy and understanding course fit.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ryan dives into Jacob Bridgeman's unique practice routine, discusses if it's worthwhile to practice with less forgiving clubs, and dives into listener questions from Instagram and the Gear Smart Hot Line. If you have a gear question for Ryan, leave him a message at 747-224-1868 ☎️
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.
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 Golden and Director of Metalwood Product Stephanie Luttrell to dive into everything you need to know behind the design process.
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 debate and what LIV's financial status could mean for players in the future. Enter for a chance to win a trip for two to the American Century Championshio in Lake Tahoe this July by visiting fujikuragolf.com/acc! Use the code "GEARSMART" for an extra entry.
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 her irons for your next fitting. He then talks about the newest spring releases in equipment and answers your questions from the Gear Smart Hotline. Make sure to follow the Gear Smart Instagram account for more equipment news from Ryan!
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 to find the right balance between short game feel and ball flight, Cameron Young's switch into the Double Dot and more. Presented by Titleist.
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 just too many golf clubs on the market?
Ranking source
Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 20, 2026.
Apple and Apple Podcasts are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Pairs with
Bring this source into Mato to read its transferable patterns, then turn them into an original show for your own audience.