Kat, the current, purely 'level' based system obviously penalizes people with your "skill set". Your proposal isn't greatly different from Lonnie's - but the 'trigger'
for better equipment must primarily rely on tiers in order to let better
players compete against each other. While it would be nice for me to
have a L 93/98 R1 - I don't really need it until I have to play from the
back tees (I am L83). In my own poor way, I am competitive at my level. The current system only encourages sandbagging - for those who wish to do so - by letting them 'level-up' without 'tiering-up',
get getter gear and poach on less skilled players.
ksinfield - you are a tier higher than me so you obviously have learned how to apply your clubs and putter. The equipment, like a hammer and saw to a carpenter, is only a bag full of paperweights until skillfully applied. Your skill that brought your average low enough to make TM - not the equipment.
Some folks, like Kat, develop awesome skills, early on and pull away from the rest of us. Others, like me just 'plod along', getting better slowly. She made Legend with gear inferior to what is in your bag now.
The point is, that for Kat compete with Legends, she needs better gear now. At my level - better gear would be nice to have but not necessary. to compete at the M/TM level. For this reason, emphasizing tiers seems more equitable to me.