Also, when you buy clubs, you have to have a certain rank to buy some of them- it says that right in the description. So, if you're a hacker and you buy 'pro' clubs, you won't be able to use them. I'm not sure if the game will allow you to buy clubs that are above your level or not.
I've been playing the game for about 3 months, and while I've got the tee-to-green figured out pretty well, the putting comes and goes. It's like real golf- just when you think you have it figured out, well, you find out you haven't! The chipping was my problem at first, until I read a post from a player and realized that the chips and pitches are a total crapshoot. Once I bailed on those shots, my scores got better.
As for your comment that 'the fix is in' by WGT, well, that's ridiculous. The game is FREE! If you don't like it, don't play. I see some unbelievably low scores in the game- obviously there are a number of players who are pretty damn good at this!
One more thing that I didn't think of when I first started playing- again, someone had to tell me online- is that when you buy better balls, it slows down the swing speed. I upgraded my clubs a while ago, but played the 'starter' balls, and found I couldn't handle the swing meter and actually went back to the starter clubs. Once I found a ball that made the swing speed a little easier, the clubs started working the way I thoght they should.