well, if a low score is shot by a high handicapper … that would do it too... similar to the low score in a non-handicap event.
I am not sure, but it seems you may also have the dynamic that even after hiding scores... members may scan to see who has entered... based on their familiarity with those players... that too could be a deterrent for some players.
I don't know what kind of events you are talking about, free entry, credit entry, free entry with prizes... etc... that may not simplify the solution, but they can also be factors.
It is a tricky dynamic I agree. What is the feedback within your club forum... does anyone give feedback or offer insight?
From an outsider, I believe you started a new club of pretty high quality players. I think most of them followed you from Kona. I would suspect everyone knows each other pretty well. It is hard to know all of the internal dynamics to give greater insight but I can try to humor you... : ) . Most clubs, like TPC, have a much wider range of skill levels where I would suspect Paragon is fairly balanced...
Yet... balance is a relative term as there is still a pretty big gap between the elite players like yourself and even some of the best Legends on WGT which I am certain are in Paragon--I see their names and your club at the top of the leaderboards. I suspect or believe Paragon is probably 95% or higher of skilled Legend players and higher. (looks like you have picked up a few lower tier but very few.
Here is another option...
One of the brain child's of TPC's popular tournaments TPC VT (JustinSolvent) not only has a handicap based system been used but he also assigns members to different "flights" because there is a range of skill levels in every tier. So a skilled Legend may end up competing against Champion tier players and a champion tier player who over persistence and saturation was promoted maybe with some easy tee's along the way... may actually be flighted down and compete against other Legends rather than Champion tier players that they can't compete with.
Now, that may be far more effort and work than you are interested in investing to increase participation, but it gives members a sense of being able to compete against those or similar proficiency. Not all Legends and not all champions are of similar skill levels. Beyond that, just asking in the forum what might help increase participation... but sometimes that means getting people into the forum to chat and give feedback is also a challenge.