Be consistent about earning free credits, especially via watching videos, where you can earn about 75 credits per week or more (by not cashing in your views until you have 50, the highest and best turnover ratio). Secondly, and I notice you have availed yourself of freebie rentals, you should find that just to reach some fairways, your starter driver will not suffice! I recommend getting a 250 yd driver immediately, such as the R11 (1395 credits) or the slightly less performing Ping G10 (700 credits), but wait until you reach level 34 to get the better G10, not the 235 yd one. Bide you time and play tournaments if using good balls or gain experience (practice) if using starter balls. Thirdly, buying a better driver only and keeping your starter irons is what I recommend because the meter will speed up quickly with advanced clubs using starter balls, so if you only have an advanced driver, only on tee shots will you need to be sharp. NEXT - if the meter jumps or you are not prepared for how quickly it runs, just DON'T press the final time for the ding - you will NOT be charged for the ensuing practice swing! You might lose the ability to read the reduction percentage if you were in rough or fescue, but it will not have changed if you read it originally and, it will only disappear until your next shot (lie). Fast and slow meters only make a difference if you cannot manage to time them for the ding, but I repeat, if the meter jumps, fight the urge to make the shot - release the ball and take it as a practice swing! Then you might make sure "loop" is off, that you have allocated 10M for flash memory, cleared your history file, and defragged within the last week. These things are often meter jump contributors, as is a connection overload from your ISP, which can be alleviated often by reloading. Lastly, learn to putt with your starter putter until you have plenty of leftover credits to buy a premium one, but none of them are cost effective if your reflexes are good. STANDARD rule of putting - if greens are rated F, try 100% of (distance +uphill inches) + 1ft - or 100% of (distance - downhill inches) and if severely downhill, minus another foot or two. VF greens, change percentage to 7/8 to 90%. For tournament greens, 75%, all else being the same. Lastly, only when you get to really advanced clubs will meter speed rise dramatically with starter balls. Then, the better the starter ball, the slower the meter, relatively.