Stuck - First Welcome!!
Second - You broke the code a lot quicker than I did!! The stated WGT distances are offered based upon Voodoo (nobody knows from where these numbers come). Starter equipment and 'free balls' seem to produce almost random results.
Yes, the game is "Free" if you never upgrade your equipment.
In order to get getter equipment, you need 'credits'. You can earn them "free" (only costs you time) or you can buy them (Subway Cards, Credit Cards and others are accepted). Most of us opt to earn credits by spending time taking surveys or watching videos. Several senior players claim to have reached the "Legend" tier without spending one penny of their own money (I'm not one of them - I used "bonus" rewards from a few credit cards).
The higher your level - the better the equipment that you qualify to buy - the better the equipment - the better your scores IF - read on ........
To learn the difference between "Levels" and "Tiers" read the FAQs in this Forum.
No matter what your level, or what equipment you buy - you have to "map" or "index" equipment/ball performance. Please note the '/' because a given club will produce different results with a different ball.
The mistake that a lot of us made was to upgrade the ball first - 'surely a better ball or a 'slower meter' will cure all of our ills' - NOT !
Don't be upgrading your ball or equipment until you have a little more experience.
For the time being, read the threads in this Forum and the FAQs. Use the "SEARCH" function on the right side of your screen before asking questions. Most of us will help to answer your questions, but all of us recognize the lazy person who never bothered to 'Search' - trust me - there are no'stupid' questions - unless they have been answered 100 times before in the Forum!
Finally, consider joining a "Country Club". A good Club will have members who enjoy helping new people learn about this obsession - (sorry meant game). If you join a club and find that people are more interested in giving you 'gas' than 'advice' - leave them and try another!
This is a pretty realistic, fun game. It is not like most games in that you cannot learn "one move" that defeats the game - it changes & challenges.
Final note, there are a variety of diverse people here (literally, from all over the world). Lots of folks think quite highly of themselves and cannot accept the fact that they are not perfect. This leads to bizare (conspiracy) theories - that when viewed from the POV of someone who recognizes that they are, indeed, fallible, are a great source of humor. You may not understand this yet - but you will pretty soon (SEARCH for OTTO DINGER).
Have fun - laugh - you'll be grinding your teeth soon enough!!