Hi Mark!
Welcome to this wonderful and at times most frustrating E-Universe. My best advise is to save up your credits, and do not purchase new equipment until you have reached a high enough level to qualify for a decent set of clubs. The Ping Raptors are a very good entry level set and the entry level Srixon or Callaway balls, are a good choice for those who are still early on in their career.
Low scores and good equipment, will come with time and most importantly, lots and lots of practice and then more practice. In this game, you will never ever stop learning which is why it's such a challenging endeavor.
Phil aka., Coyote