Titleist 681 Forged vs Titleist 690.CB
Side-by-side factory specifications. Differing values are highlighted.
Specification comparison
| Club | 681 Forged loft | 690.CB loft | 681 Forged lie | 690.CB lie | 681 Forged length | 690.CB length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | — | 57.5 | — | 39.75 | — |
| 2 | 19 | 18 | 58 | 58 | 39.25 | 39.25 |
| 3 | 22 | 21 | 59 | 58.5 | 38.75 | 38.75 |
| 4 | 25 | 24 | 60 | 59.5 | 38.25 | 38.25 |
| 5 | 28 | 27 | 61 | 60 | 37.75 | 37.75 |
| 6 | 32 | 31 | 61.5 | 61 | 37.25 | 37.25 |
| 7 | 36 | 35 | 62 | 61.5 | 36.75 | 36.75 |
| 8 | 40 | 39 | 62.5 | 62 | 36.25 | 36.25 |
| 9 | 44 | 43 | 63 | 62.5 | 35.75 | 35.75 |
| PW | 49 | 47 | 63.5 | 63 | 35.5 | 35.25 |
| W | — | 51 | — | 63 | — | 35.25 |
Highlighted cells differ between the two sets. Lofts and lies are factory standard.
Lofts compared
- 681 Forged
- 690.CB
What the differences mean
At the 7-iron, the 681 Forged is 36° and the 690.CB is 35°, a 1° gap. Each degree of loft is worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of carry at the same swing speed, so the 690.CB should carry roughly 3 to 4 yards further with that club, on a slightly lower, shallower flight than the 681 Forged. Across the 9 clubs both sets share, the 690.CB averages 1.1° stronger, with the largest gap at the PW (49° vs 47°). The pitching wedges are 49° and 47°; the stronger one leaves a 3° jump to a 50° gap wedge, which matters when planning wedge gapping. Beyond loft, the 690.CB 7-iron sits 0.5° flatter (62° vs 61.5°), which nudges start direction slightly right for a right-hander.
The sets are built differently: the 681 Forged runs 1-iron to PW (10 clubs), the 690.CB 2-iron to W (10 clubs).
The 681 Forged is a blade iron and the 690.CB a players iron, so they sit one step apart on the forgiveness scale. The 690.CB is the more forgiving design, with a wider sole, more offset and more perimeter weighting for roughly scratch to 10 handicaps. The 681 Forged trades some of that for a more compact head, thinner topline and more control over flight and shape, which suits low single-digit handicaps who strike the ball consistently.
The 681 Forged is listed as forged blade and the 690.CB as forged cavity back. The 681 Forged's muscle-back shape keeps mass directly behind the strike for feedback and control, where a cavity spreads it to the perimeter for forgiveness.
The 690.CB arrived 1 year after the 681 Forged, a typical one-generation refresh. Changes over that span are usually incremental: refined face thickness, revised weighting, updated looks and small loft tweaks rather than a new concept. Here the 7-iron loft moved from 36° to 35°.
Which should you choose?
The 690.CB is the stronger-lofted set — up to 2° stronger than the 681 Forged on matching clubs. Expect longer carry per numbered iron but a flatter descent angle; gapping at the wedge end is where that shows up.
Both charts are reproduced in full on their own pages: Titleist 681 Forged specs and Titleist 690.CB specs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Titleist 681 Forged stronger lofted than the 690.CB?
No. The 690.CB is the stronger-lofted set: its 7-iron is 35° against 36° for the Titleist 681 Forged, 1° stronger and worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of extra carry.
What is the loft difference between the Titleist 681 Forged and 690.CB?
At the 7-iron the difference is 1° (36° vs 35°). The largest gap on a shared club is 2° at the PW, and all 9 shared clubs differ.
Which is better for higher handicap golfers, the Titleist 681 Forged or the 690.CB?
The 690.CB. As a players iron it is the more forgiving design, suited to roughly scratch to 10 handicaps. The Titleist 681 Forged is a blade iron, better suited to low single-digit handicaps who strike the ball consistently.
Do the Titleist 681 Forged and 690.CB have the same lie and length?
Not exactly. At the 7-iron the Titleist 681 Forged is 62° lie and 36.75 inches, the 690.CB 61.5° and 36.75 inches. Both can be bent or built to your own fit.
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