There are ways to get free credits. Its slow, but all my equipment and balls was bought with just the free credits. So far today i have gained almost 200 credits by watching videos on the mobile app and doing the web views here. Check the free credits tab. Surveys are the best way to get credits, but takes awhile to get one sometimes.
With the mobile app videos, i just open the app and start while i am doing other things. same with on this site. They run in the background.
There is almost no way I will ever win a tournament with a high credit payout, so I just play ready go's or brackets. Country clubs are a good place also, few credits but they are there.
So, keep playing to get better, start collecting the free credits and they will add up fast. I have 1800 now and Im running the web views as I type. 1800 is not a lot, but I earned them this week.
Good luck,
dacrash