Club Lab
Club Lab
Gene Parente, Jonathan Wall
Club Lab is a golf equipment podcast hosted by Golf Digest managing editor Jonathan Wall and Golf Laboratories founder Gene Parente, diving deep into the gear generating buzz through real robot-testing data, tour trends and conversations with the people who matter most in the industry. Every episode is designed to make you smarter about the equipment in your bag.
Equipment notes for the Open Championship
You asked, we listened. We tested Titleist's GTS drivers at 105 mph on the Golf Laboratories swing robot, and the results were intriguing. But first, it's Open Championship week, which means a whole lot of changes at both ends of the bag for many tour pros. High lofted woods become long irons and mini drivers and new bounce options are in play for wedges on the baked, firm, sandy soil.
Jul 15
46 min
A Royal Rumble of irons
Who says irons need to be in one category or another? We put every iron we tested on the Golf Laboratories swing robot in one big pot and picked the most outstanding few in a bunch of categories. But first, some tour talk as players head over to Britain for the Open Championship. Look for some long irons this in place of fairway woods. Plus, L.A.B. Golf collabs with Uncrustables?
Jul 8
40 min
We put Titleist's GTS drivers to the test
Titleist made waves with its April release of its new GTS line of drivers. And there was a whole lot of hullabaloo around how much ball speed, and, in turn, distance pros were gaining. JWall and Uncle Gene finally got their hands on some drivers and put them to the test on the Golf Laboratories swing robot. Also, Viktor Hovland's driver change pays off and what's the deal with Damascus steel?
Jul 1
53 min
Some surprising super game improvement iron data
JWall and Uncle Gene are back from their respective vacations and we have lots of super game improvement iron robot data to discuss. But first, Wyndham Clark's Ping Scottsdale Tec putter carries him to his second U.S. Open title and the USGA delays its rollback plan.
Jun 24
43 min
Robotic iron analysis: Game Improvement Irons
Our summer robot analysis series continues with game improvement irons as JWall and Uncle Gene break down the data from the Golf Laboratories swing robot.
Jun 17
29 min
How 2026 players distance irons performed with a robot
We put the hottest category in irons to the test on Golf Laboratories' swing robot, and the numbers were outstanding. JWall and Uncle Gene break it all down, and JWall learns the difference between negative and positive.
Jun 10
34 min
We robot tested 2026 players irons
Robot testing is not just for drivers! JWall and Uncle Gene put the latest offerings in the players irons category to the test on the Golf Laboratories swing robot, and, well, it's time for Gene to eat some crow.
Jun 3
26 min
What to know about irons, with Chris Marchini
Director of Golf Performance and Innovation at Dick's and Golf Galaxy Chris Marchini is back with JWall and Uncle Gene to answer your questions about irons, including what to look for in a fitting, how you know when it's time to get new irons and specific data points he uses to get the right clubs in players' hands.
May 27
1 hr 3 min
Why TaylorMade's Qi4D loft sleeve is so important
TaylorMade's newest driver, the Qi4D, is both lower launching and lower spinning than its Qi10 and Qi35 predecessors, but that only tells part of the story. JWall and Uncle Gene go in depth on what that actually means for ball flight and how adjusting the loft sleeve can make a big difference. But first, a surprise PGA Championship winner claims a major with some old equipment, TaylorMade moves to a two-year driver cycle and Bridgestone releases a black golf ball.
May 20
48 min
We tested a cult classic against a current driver
We put a cult classic driver up against its modern-day descendant on a swing robot and the results are in. But first, a smorgasbord of PGA Championship equipment notes, featuring Brooks Koepka's new putter, all 31 of Justin Rose's McLaren irons, Rickie Fowler's shortest driver of his career and a new L.A.B. Golf prototype putter appears. And would Cameron Young's golf ball actually conform under the proposed rollback rules?
May 13
49 min
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