Hi Bryn.
The game is great fun, in my opinion, just requires patience.
Forums are forums, they are the same everywhere. There is some help, and a lot of BS to filter through.
Just remember the game is not the forum :)
Basically: the game is very realistic, no two shots are every the same. There are a lot of subtleties to the game. It has a steep learning curve if you progress though the tiers to fast, so play the difficult courses, Oakmont and Bethpage (ranked) as well as the easier ones, and don't quit out if you get a bad round, it will tip your average towards promotion too quickly. Replace the beginners clubs with the free starters that are in your bag ( you may not get these 'till you reach amateur, I'm not sure, they may be there already). Better clubs mean better accuracy.
There is sometimes a meter stutter problem, it sometimes skips (on some PCs). If it does, let it go, don't click the hit, you'll be able to swing again. Also, if you get the stutter problem, hold the shot at full backswing for about 3 secs, then let go. this usually gives the programme time to settle down and give a smooth swing.
Anything else you need to know, use the search box on the right, or post in the forum, you'll usually get a solution to your problem.
Good luck and have fun : )
Valrec