I know I'm in the minority on this, but I had to get my opinion out there for the current system in place. The system isn't perfect by any means, but it is OK. It doesn't promote sandbagging, but it is possible under the current system. But, to me, sandbagging isn't that big of a problem. You can easily choose who you want to play, and I try to play only Legends, but I won't play anyone ranked under Master in a Skins or MPC match.
I feel that if a Legend is trying to play a Tour Pro or less for credits, you are just trying to take advantage of a player lacking in skill anyway for easy credits, and that IMO much like Sandbagging (as someone else pointed out) is unethical.
Also, I feel even when other tiered players have advantages of 100 yards or more on some holes, If I hit my shots like I'm capable of, then I have no need to worry, because the other player(s) are bound to make a mistake at some point. Nearly every single hole on this game from the back tees is a birdie hole if you hit the proper shots.
You see all the major tournaments that WGT has had, and only the truly great players have won them, it's not like a tour pro or hack won a trip to Congressional. If Wgt changed the current system, and made each club tier specific, it wouldn't help much, because all the sandbaggers already have all the best clubs, not like they'll have to give them back. Also, the Legends are Legends for a reason, if you're going to make the clubs tier specific, and try to level the playing field, what's the point in having tiers to begin with? Why does everyone want it flipped, so that Legends just become the sandbaggers and destroy everyone else in this game. Although I started the game on the day the current system was implemented and have no knowledge of the previous system, from my understanding, Legend tier and the back tees were created because all the best players were dominating so bad. At least the current system makes it some what fair to the average player out there.
It comes down to this IMO. Almost every online game I've ever played whether on the computer or Xbox or Ps3 whatever, has had some sort of online ranking system, and in almost every system sandbagging happens, there's no way to avoid it, no matter what system you put in place. Like I said earlier, if you changed the club structure and make it all even, then you are just turning the Legends into the baggers. They would have the unfair advantage, just like with the sandbaggers now. No matter what system is in place or how it's implemented, some players are just going to have the advantage in games whether it's ethically or unethically. WGT's system is actually A LOT better than some of the other Online Ranking systems I've ran across, so maybe it's just me but I don't see the need for all the complaining going on. It could be a lot worse than it is now.