Reminds me of the article about how Valve hired an economist to examine their in-game economies.
How much actual time did it take him to make that $10k?
[citation][nom]nebun[/nom]if he thinks an expensive golf club set helps him play better then he really needs to learn the game....golf clubs has nothing to do with it, it's called skill[/citation]
Not really--golf clubs have a profound effect on game once you get to a high level of skill--much like how any "enthusiast" object has a significant impact on your ability. Take competitive PC gaming, for example--high-end keyboards, mice, and network cards are geared toward giving the player an edge that they can't get with just average components. On the amateur level, these things are probably not noticeable, but as you increase your skills and abilities, you start to get limited by the components and not your abilities--so it all matters, it's not just skill. An expensive driver can get you more distance than a crap driver once you hit that skill level.
Same goes for running shoes if you're a competitive runner. Or racing tires and car design for competitive racers. At some point if you're good enough at something, your ability to achieve more is limited by the components you're using.