I (as indicated in my above post) don't really think it makes any real measurable difference.
Agreed! Over the long run it has little measurable effect on handicap or average score but what you seem to ignore is that it can have a major impact on that day's result. That day, it is not a minute fraction of a stroke, it is a full stroke which can be the difference between winning a match, winning a tournament, achieving a personal goal such as shooting par, shooting a personal best or breaking 100, 90, 80, 70 for the first time.