I totally agree with you,....and may I add you are "preaching to the choir".....trouble is....too many members will join in a crusade questioning the developer's manner in which they do business....and "business" is the operative word!
Over the last year or so,..I've been amassing free credits by watching videos and doing surveys ( whenever allowed...seeing that only on rare occasions I'm not disqualified! ). Since I do have the time,...I've been fortunate to successfully outfit my bag with my present set of clubs along with a hefty supply of balls.
But trust me,...if and when the day comes that I no longer have "upgraded balls" to play with....and credits are harder to come by......rather than relent to the avarice....I'll simply discontinue playing,..as I do believe there is a LIFE other than the World Golf Tour.