"...but how realistic is it that u hit a 115 wedge with a straight forward wind of 15-17....on the ding with top spin and the ball lands and stops dead 116 yards....lol..."
You didn't say what distance you wanted?...if it was 115-117 yds, then you hit a great shot (within a yard). Also, you are using starter balls...very inconsistent results from them.
"if wtg think that making the game work this way encourages players to spend their money on it then, I think they have badly miscalculated.."
Like in real golf, better equipment leads to more consistent results (usually). That's how wgt makes it's money. If hitting range balls with mid level and starter clubs was a winning option, nobody would ever upgrade.
It's like any hobby, you get out of it what you put in..:)
ct