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Artwork for Gear Smart

Gear Smart

Skratch
Golf Equipment
Taylormade
Golf Balls
Callaway
PGA Tour
Titleist
Golf Technology
Golf Clubs
Visual Technology
Speed Golf
Golf Fitting
Chrome Tour Golf Balls
Golf
Mizuno
Callaway Golf
Golf Equipment Design
Wedges
Golf Ball Manufacturing
Golf Ball Fitting
St. Andrews

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... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes47Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsGolf

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Gear Smart

Latest Episodes

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 ... more

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 Shin... more

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 ta... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Eric Loper
Senior Director of Golf Ball R&D at Callaway
Callaway
Episode: Previewing the U.S. Open and talking ball R&D with Callaway's Eric Loper
Michael Fish
Titleist Golf Ball Team, Senior Manager on the Golf Ball Product Management Team
Titleist
Episode: Talking Golf Ball Alignment with Titleist's Michael Fish
Stephanie DeTrell
Director of Metal Wood Development, Titleist
Titleist
Episode: Talking PGA Gear News + Titleist GTS drivers with the people behind the designs
Chuck Golden
Senior VP for Golf Club R&D, Titleist
Titleist
Episode: Talking PGA Gear News + Titleist GTS drivers with the people behind the designs
Adam Weissing
YouTube golf channel host (Adam Weissing Golf)
Shore Hills, New Jersey
Episode: McLaren Golf is here, what you can learn from Nelly's irons and new spring releases
Patrick Dewar
Associate Tour Consultant for Ball Performance at Titleist
Titleist
Episode: Talking Titleist Ball Fitting with Patrick Dewar
Brian Knudson
Club Junkie and Golf Tuber X creator
Golf Tuber X
Episode: Talking Masters with Club Junkie's Brian Knudson!
James Holley
Tour representative for TaylorMade; focuses on putters on tour
TaylorMade
Episode: Titleist's surprise GTS drop and talking TaylorMade Spider success with James Holley
Patrick Ripp
Tour Engineering Manager at Cleveland Strixon
Cleveland Strixon Golf
Episode: Cam Young's Secret Hybrid & talking with Cleveland Tour Engineering Manager Patrick Ripp

Host

Ryan Barath
Host of Gear Smart

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 22 ratings
  • Proper title!

    Great show, extremely informative in every aspect. Whatever show RB is on I’ll be listening!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MC2250
    United States3 months ago
  • 🤯

    RB always had great knowledge he's willing to share with the community.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rob from The Bay Area
    United Statesa year ago
  • Incredibly insightful

    Ryan is one of the most insightful voices in golf. He’s my number one place to go for learning in the golf industry. Can’t wait for more episodes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cory from Ajax
    Canadaa year ago
  • What golf needed

    Very excited for this launch!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    .J.N.
    Canadaa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host as a leading voice in golf gear and testing.
Great show with actionable gear insights and testing notes.
RB shares valuable knowledge, a resource for the golf gear community.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#79
United States/Sports/Golf
Apple Podcasts
#42
Canada/Sports/Golf
Apple Podcasts
#155
United Kingdom/Sports/Golf
Apple Podcasts
#126
Australia/Sports/Golf
Apple Podcasts
#186
Germany/Sports/Golf
Apple Podcasts
#15
Brazil/Sports/Golf

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

RBC Canadian Open gear, lead tape on irons, and questions from listeners
Q: Hey Ryan, this is Aiden from San Diego. Are there irons with large offset that aren't bulky game-improvement models?
Ryan provides a practical list of irons with notable offset that still look player-friendly, including Callaway AI 200, AI 300, Apex Tie Fusion, PXG 0311P Gen 8, MaxFly XC2, and XC1 blade options, emphasizing fit for players who want offset without a bulky appearance.
RBC Canadian Open gear, lead tape on irons, and questions from listeners
Q: Hey Ryan, this is Adrian from San Diego. If you had unlimited budget, where would you go get fit? What is the OEM champion called?
Ryan explains that getting fit at an OEM is valuable due to their deep knowledge of their own equipment, but a mix of fitters can work well too. If given unlimited budget, he'd prefer to be left to his own devices with a launch monitor to test and compare clubs, while recognizing the value of professional fitters who can guide the process.
Gear Smart Hot Line Q&A, plus is it worth practicing with less forgiving clubs?
Q: Mallet versus blade: which is better for practice versus play?
The host notes that mallets can offer easier alignment and forgiveness for many golfers, particularly those who practice less, while blade putters can be suitable for players who prefer their feel and eye alignment; the key is proper fit, alignment, and whether the reader can consistently read the line and speed, regardless of blade or mallet format.
Gear Smart Hot Line Q&A, plus is it worth practicing with less forgiving clubs?
Q: Is there something you wish would go away from current fitting practices or philosophies?
The host argues for fitters who tailor to what a golfer can actually use on the course, emphasizing playable trajectories and real-world delivery over fit data alone, and notes that misaligned metrics or overreliance on launch/spin charts without considering attack angle can mislead players.
McLaren Golf is here, what you can learn from Nelly's irons and new spring releases
Q: What should I understand about adjustable driver adapters and loft changes when tuning for launch and spin?
Adjustable adapters change the shaft axis, which alters loft relative to impact while the actual club loft remains the same; impact alignment and face angle at impact determine the effective loft, launch, and spin, so adapters are useful for dialing in ball flight rather than being a simple distance tweak.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Gear Smart

What is Gear Smart about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Gear-focused conversations centered on golf equipment, fitting, and performance innovations. Episodes frequently weave hands-on testing, tour-grade insights, and design philosophy from top brands into practical guidance for players and fitters alike. Expect deep dives into drivers, wedges, balls, and putters, with casual on-site reporting from major events and gear showcases, plus behind-the-scenes look at how feedback from pros and fitters shapes production. The show often pairs technical rigor with real-world tips, making it valuable for listeners who want to translate gear tech into tangible on-course improvements. A standout aspect is the willingness to explore how every detail—from CG positioning to grip torque—affects feel, performanc... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Gear Smart?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Gear Smart. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Gear Smart and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Gear Smart get?

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What are the audience demographics for Gear Smart?

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How many subscribers and views does Gear Smart have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Gear Smart has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Gear Smart?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Gear Smart:

1. GOLF’s Fully Equipped
2. Club Junkie
3. No Putts Given
4. Golf IQ
5. Kick Point: The Golf Gear Show

How many episodes of Gear Smart are there?

Gear Smart launched a year ago and published 47 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Gear Smart?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Gear Smart?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Gear Smart from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Gear Smart. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Gear Smart?

Recent guests on Gear Smart include:

1. Eric Loper
2. Michael Fish
3. Stephanie DeTrell
4. Chuck Golden
5. Adam Weissing
6. Patrick Dewar
7. Brian Knudson
8. James Holley

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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