The entire golf industry is built on this concept. It's bigger than the cycling industry. Parents buy their little league age kids $400 baseball bats, because of course it will make them better. Meanwhile there's a kid in the DR who can hit .450 with a broomstick, runs the bases barefoot, and doesn't' need a bag to carry his equipment cause all he has is a glove.

It's like anything else in developed countries - people want more, or fancier stuff. Even if they have no use for it.