OK, I have given it time, I have bought the balls, I have adapted as best I can.
If WGT want me to play off the black tees, so be it, I have embraced the challenge and will continue to do my very best to compete from 'away back there', however, surely there is sufficient evidence now for WGT to see that their implementation of the new levels have upset the natural order?
Those in the top tier should be accumulating credits while those in the lowest tier are adding credits, in the mid tiers the player improves skill and gradually starts to become more self sufficient to the point where he / or she no longer needs to buy credits as they start to gradually win enough to keep going, buy balls, and save up credits to buy new equipment as they move up tiers etc. We now have a situation where lower tier players have a distinct distance advantage, but with no equipment penalty to compensate. The demand for tier specific competition is testament to that, legends are becoming seperate from the rest of the group, and only want to play each other to ensure fair competition. The result is a disgruntled, alienated and seperate elite, who in real terms are only the elite in name, who will be reluctant to mix it with the lower tiers, unless of course in major competitions where common conditions prevail.
My suggestions to WGT is level this out are -
- ensure identical playing conditions for the top two tiers
- or associate levels to the tiers equally to averages (make a 60 level an automatic Legend)
- or allow struggling Legends to move back to TM level if they rise above a certain average.
- or introduce equipment for legends only thats significantly closes the distance gap
- or detune certain equipment to be tier specific in yardage
In addition to this -
- Reduce the deviation by tier, a professional golfer will have significantly less dispersion through the bag than joe club golfer. It is frustrating getting the beast from 210 yards out on a dinged shot and having a 30+ foot putt as a result. the game is hard enough when you are teeing off from the far end of the car park and putting on tournament greens.
- Make Legends level independant, so all equipment is unlocked
- Prioritise game reliability and performance over gimmicks (much can be forgiven with a smooth meter - even kilts)
So in summary, I guess what I am saying is reintroduce fairness and common sense. This must be hurting WGT financially. Make this thing skill based again, let the top players be admired and an inspiration, as opposed to significant to a level people wish to avoid.