Equipment Review: Innovex Golf, by Jeffrey Reed

In today’s golf world, there is a fine line between forgiving clubs and performance clubs. Just look at the increasing number of Tour professionals who include cavity-back, wide-soled irons in their bags – not to mention hybrid clubs. Kansas-based Innovex Golf, established in 2004 by company president Kevin Downey, has found an innovative way to combine forgiveness and performance with its Revolutionary Loft Specification (RLS) system.

Innovex provided me with a good cross section of their RLS system clubs: a 6-iron; a 22-degree hybrid; and a 17-degree 4-wood. All three lived up to their promise of providing accuracy and ease of use.

The System RLS irons from Innovex use a soft forged iron – 431 stainless steel, and boast a moderate offset progression from some offset in long irons to minimal offset in wedges. A mid-size, cast cavity-back, perimeter weighted design makes for a very forgiving iron, and added weight behind the face provides a solid feel. I found it very easy to get the ball in the air with the 6-iron, which also proved to be very accurate to the flag. The sole is wide, but not visibly overpowering. There are two graphite shaft series options, and a steel option – I played the FST-ProWhite (CM) steel shaft for feedback and control. While the club didn’t perform like my own trusty 6-iron (and I didn’t expect it to), it is worthy of praise for its performance combining ease of use and accuracy. The graphite options feature Graman shafts.

If you’re a mid- to high-handicapper and have difficulty with your long irons, then Innovex has the hybrid club for you. I’m a low handicapper, but I regularly play a hybrid club in place of my two-iron. I tested the Innovex System RLS 22-degree hybrid. A big plus with this club is its appropriate short shaft length of 38.5 inches, perfect for hybrid shot making. I chose the Graman CS230 graphite shaft for strength, playability and low torque. The club features 15-5 stainless steel for solid feel at impact. Quite simply, this club gets the ball up in the air quickly and lands the ball softly. There’s a steel shaft option, too, but most golfers concur that hybrids should twin with graphite in order to maximize their effectiveness. Loft options in this hybrid series measure 18-, 22- and 27-degrees, replacing irons 3, 4 and 5. 

The 2005-released System RLS fairway woods from Innovex feature Carpenter 455 steel thin face design, and a classic semi-pear shape plus optimal face height. The formula works: the 17-degree four wood is extremely easy to hit, and lines up automatically at address. I don’t normally carry a 4-wood in my bag, but on this afternoon the transition was an easy one, and shots landed softly onto the green. The cup face design promising a large sweet spot seems to have come through during this round. This club is also a sharp-looking stroke saver. The stiff graphite staff, a Graman CS230 as in my hybrid, proved effective.

An important selling point for the Innovex clubs is affordability. See for yourself and read more about the System RLS lines at www.innovexgolf.com.