Looking at the OP's posting, his clubs, and reading between the lines, my guess is that "Free Players" means not even "spending" any time gaining "free"credits.
Many of us have posted "how to's" for earning credits. There is no secret other than "spending" some time. His point was that without any kind of "spending" there is a ceiling beyond which no one can climb.
As Don (TopShelf2010) mentioned, he made it to Master with starter equipment. Any one playing at that tier with starter equipment, is playing for the sheer pleasure the game gives them, and not to go to Legend. Some of us played more (or less) with starter equipment, but those of us wanting to play from the parking lot had to "invest" to get there.