I disagree with you a little. While clubhead technology hasn't changed a lot on irons, shaft and fitting has. So while new clubs per say may not help, having lies adjust to fit the person, as well as launch monitors to adjust clubs and choose the right shaft has. The other big changes besides drivers, which have seen a lot of good changes the last 5-7 years, and really makes sense to upgrade every other generation now, is ball technology. The days of either the old soft balatas and hard pinnicles are gone. People should find a ball that suits there swing, style of play and course. I use really three different balls, depending on the course. On a tight course with hard greens I use Cally HX Tours, on longer tight courses with semihard greens I use Nike Blacks, and on real long wider courses or with courses that have large greens I'll use the Cally hx hots, this way a little run after hitting doesn't kill you.
In addition you're starting to see some good changes on fairway woods, hybrids and wedges. Wedge grooves are being modified to help different playing styles, and courses, and fairway woods and hybrids are being maade to again suit different needs. Larger heads for use on tee and out of propped up lies, vs. shallow/smaller for rough lies and fairways. Again find what suits you game.
While overall not one makes that much of a difference, to get fitted, and make slections for the types of courses you play plus add in the right shaft and ball, and someone could easily drop 5-7 strokes just on GOOD technology choices alone. Add in some lessons which really are not that expensive and someone in a year could easily drop 10-15 strokes off their handicap.