Why pretty permalink picks random postname? help!

A problem I just can’t figure out…
I tried using pretty permalinks, but for some reason it both changes the postname from what I think it should use, and doesn’t show the year either.

I am trying to use the custom format:
http://criticalgolf.com/%year%/%postname%

What I get is: URLs with no year, and then random postnames but I can’t figure out why (I use Pages instead of Posts if it matters).

Examples:
Golf Balls – Overall page
goes from
http://criticalgolf.com/?page_id=11
to
http://criticalgolf.com/the-tests

and
Callaway uPro (under Golf GPS Devices)
goes from
http://criticalgolf.com/?page_id=872
to
http://criticalgolf.com/gpsrangefinders/upro-golf-gps-2
(I’m not sure how it is picking up either “gpsrangefinders” or “upro-golf-gps-2” (why the 2?)

neither of the pretty permalinks are using what I think is the %postname%
and for the life of me I can’t figure out what to do – its a big mess!

Any advice would be great. I’m stuck after lots of reading (and not being a programmer, of course!)