Cleveland 588 Altitude vs Cleveland 588 Forged CB
Side-by-side factory specifications. Differing values are highlighted.
Specification comparison
| Club | 588 Altitude loft | 588 Forged CB loft | 588 Altitude lie | 588 Forged CB lie | 588 Altitude length | 588 Forged CB length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | — | 18 | — | 59 | — | 39.25 |
| 3 | 19 | 21 | 60 | 59.5 | 39.75 | 38.75 |
| 4 | 21 | 24 | 60.75 | 60 | 39.125 | 38.25 |
| 5 | 24 | 27 | 61.5 | 60.5 | 38.5 | 37.75 |
| 6 | 27 | 31 | 62.25 | 61 | 37.875 | 37.25 |
| 7 | 31 | 35 | 63 | 62 | 37.25 | 36.75 |
| 8 | 35 | 39 | 63.5 | 63 | 36.75 | 36.25 |
| 9 | 39 | 43 | 64 | 64 | 36.25 | 35.75 |
| PW | 44 | 47 | 64.5 | 64 | 35.75 | 35.5 |
| GW | 49 | — | 64.5 | — | 35.5 | — |
| SW | 54 | — | 64.5 | — | 35.25 | — |
Highlighted cells differ between the two sets. Lofts and lies are factory standard.
Lofts compared
- 588 Altitude
- 588 Forged CB
What the differences mean
At the 7-iron, the 588 Altitude is 31° and the 588 Forged CB is 35°, a 4° gap. Each degree of loft is worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of carry at the same swing speed, so the 588 Altitude should carry roughly 12 to 16 yards further with that club, on a slightly lower, shallower flight than the 588 Forged CB. Across the 8 clubs both sets share, the 588 Forged CB averages 3.4° weaker, with the largest gap at the 6-iron (27° vs 31°). The pitching wedges are 44° and 47°; the stronger one leaves a 6° jump to a 50° gap wedge, which matters when planning wedge gapping. Beyond loft, the 588 Forged CB 7-iron sits 1° flatter (63° vs 62°), which nudges start direction slightly right for a right-hander; the 588 Altitude 7-iron is 0.5 inches longer (37.25" vs 36.75").
The sets are built differently: the 588 Altitude runs 3-iron to SW (10 clubs), the 588 Forged CB 2-iron to PW (9 clubs).
The 588 Altitude is a game improvement iron and the 588 Forged CB a players iron, so they sit 2 steps apart on the forgiveness scale. The 588 Altitude is the more forgiving design, with a wider sole, more offset and more perimeter weighting for roughly 10 to 25 handicaps. The 588 Forged CB trades some of that for a more compact head, thinner topline and more control over flight and shape, which suits roughly scratch to 10 handicaps.
The 588 Altitude is listed as full-hollow body with forged face and bendable hosel and the 588 Forged CB as forged progressive cavity back. The 588 Altitude's hollow body lets the face flex more and moves mass low and outward, usually giving higher launch and more ball speed on off-centre strikes than the 588 Forged CB, at some cost in feel.
Both sets were introduced in 2013, so this is a choice between two models from the same lineup rather than an upgrade: Cleveland designed them to sit side by side for different players.
Which should you choose?
The 588 Forged CB is the weaker-lofted set — up to 4° weaker than the 588 Altitude. That trades raw distance for a steeper landing angle and more predictable stopping power into greens.
Both charts are reproduced in full on their own pages: Cleveland 588 Altitude specs and Cleveland 588 Forged CB specs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cleveland 588 Altitude stronger lofted than the 588 Forged CB?
Yes. The Cleveland 588 Altitude 7-iron is 31° against 35° for the 588 Forged CB, 4° stronger, which is worth roughly 12 to 16 yards of extra carry with the same swing.
What is the loft difference between the Cleveland 588 Altitude and 588 Forged CB?
At the 7-iron the difference is 4° (31° vs 35°). The largest gap on a shared club is 4° at the 6-iron, and all 8 shared clubs differ.
Which is better for higher handicap golfers, the Cleveland 588 Altitude or the 588 Forged CB?
The Cleveland 588 Altitude. As a game improvement iron it is the more forgiving design, suited to roughly 10 to 25 handicaps. The 588 Forged CB is a players iron, better suited to roughly scratch to 10 handicaps.
Do the Cleveland 588 Altitude and 588 Forged CB have the same lie and length?
Not exactly. At the 7-iron the Cleveland 588 Altitude is 63° lie and 37.25 inches, the 588 Forged CB 62° and 36.75 inches. Both can be bent or built to your own fit.
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