I've seen it where a 6I is selected yet the graphic says 7I, I think that's what your saying birdwell. I agree.
Here's an article from Adobe on Flash "Runtime code execution fundamentals" which I'll attempt to condense:
The Flash program running on our computers does essentially 2 types of work, code execution and rendering(drawing to the screen).
In order to maintain a smooth animation Flash must draw to the screen as often as the specified frame rate demands. At a frame rate of 50 frames per second (FPS), it must perform both the code execution and rendering tasks every 1/50 th of a second.
Flash begins its block of time (1/50 th of a second) by doing code execution usually triggered by user events (mouse clicks, mouseovers, etc.) or server events (messages from the server like shot results or friends list updates) once all the events are processed it begins the rendering part of its work.
If the time to complete both code execution and rendering work takes longer than 1/50th of a second, Flash isn't able to maintain the 50 frames per second frame rate. "The frame expands, taking longer than its allotted time, so there is a delay before the next frame is triggered." Its not able to update the screen at 50 FPS.
"When the frame rate slows, the experience degrades. At best animation becomes choppy. In worse cases, the application freezes and the window goes blank."
I'm thinking the club selection GUI can generate a lot of code execution time as the clubs are so close together and the mouse can move over them so fast (generating lots of mouseover events) perhaps a graphic change gets missed. This could be exasperated by a server event occurring (i.e. friends list update)
The way Flash runs all code execution first before rendering could also explain how the friends list affects the meter. (Flash is busy processing a friends list update and overruns its allocated block of time and the meter animation doesn't get updated. That's a stutter.)