R,
From watching the Twitch feed, I don't think they have been put off releasing the equipment and balls etc. just how they will do it.
As Andrew says in the feed, ideally they want to have Career mode up and running as things like equipment upgrades can be earned within the career at no extra cost, but they also want to offer the same content in the Pro Shop (in time) for those that are prepared to buy it., but have them both available at the same time, and not one before the other.
What folks have to remember is that this is a golf sim, and in real life these type of things are available, so all PP are trying to do is replicate what is available in real life.
As golfers know, a 460cc driver is much more forgiving than the old persimmon headed one's from the 70's and early 80's. So if PP were to give us this, why do people see it as pay to win? IMO, it is pure gamers, and not golfers, who are seeing these features as pay to win. It's as if they are seeing these equipment additions the same as buying a BFG in a first person shooter, where only a Colt 45 is available to everyone else.