BrianCheese:
They're not cheats, it's the game. If you buy clubs and balls from WGT - in other words give them money - they let games become easier. WGT work on the principle that if you spend money on the game then the game becomes easier for you because you can afford super-duper clubs and extra length balls.
It is true to say the better equipment the better scores, but having toiled for 6 years with a starter set, I can shoot a 62 on the very odd occasions; however the game prevents you from having any consistency by never making the same shot in the same conditions the same.
This is absolutely true but what else do you expect.
I think the prices are too high and probably out of reach for many. At over £200 for a set of the best clubs and £5 a time for decent balls it's a lot of money. Getting to the stage of being able to get the top clubs most will have spent 75% of the original cost of a few sets on the way, as well all the other things you need to get the extras you'll need to compete on a level playing field with others. Add to this that at any time the game could end or go in a direction that means you lose interest in it and everything you've spent so far is gone.
I guess that's the hook, and you've avoided it, you spend £20 on clubs and then think "it's this putter that's holding me back" so maybe another £20. Eventually you're so invested in the game that it's hard to stop. New clubs come out but this time the putter is £40 etc etc.
And yes they do "let games become easier" I can score 60 (nearly) as often as not with my equipment from my tees but I don't think I could score 62 with yours (even from your tees)one time in ten. Low scores get easier the more you spend, of course they do.
BrianCheese: How many times have you screamed at the screen that you've played that hole so many times and that, what just happened, has never happened before. It's a negative that makes you want to buy better equipment to shoot better scores and once you spend money scoring gets easier.
I get the impression that you know how the game works, circle of precision etc (search the forum if not) so I don't really get your surprise above. The irons you use have 0.5 precision, lets say from 150yds that gives a landing area 10m around where a dinged well aimed shot would land if there was absolute precision, if (in the same conditions) it lands 9m away one time and 1m away the next that is within what it should be. If you had spent about £45 on the top irons you'd be playing with 5.1 precision and that circle would tighten considerably. If there wasn't this difference how would wgt get us to spend on the better clubs.
BrianCheese: It's just a huge fix (but whenever I say that in a post it gets moderated, so it must be true)
It's not a fix and I don't think saying things like that helps, the variation in precision is well known and if anything advertised, not hidden, by wgt.
In the end Brian you have to decide if you want to play the game and if you do then how. I don't think starting again when the tees get too long is a good option, maybe join an active CC and set up tournaments from whatever tees you like.