...But what struck me was this: most of the people I observed this morning were dawdling along. No real sense of urgency to get to your ball and be ready to hit. And it was easily 4-5 groups in a row that just kind of took their time. The best were the ones in carts who simply couldn't be bothered to get out at their partners ball and walk 20 yards over to their own. No, they needed to wait and then be driven to 5 feet and start their pre-shot routine.
I hear what you're saying Fuzzy, but once one, or two, or three, or four groups run into THE slow group, what is the point of the four groups behind the slow group to play fast? Wouldn't they just be hurrying up to wait, as they can only go as fast as the slowest group in front of them? When this happens to me, I really have to consciously slow down, and in essence dawdle out there, or the wait really gets to me. There doesn't seem to be a point to hurrying up, and in fact if I do, I really start to play poorly, once my group runs into the inevitable wait on every shot associated with a group of slugs in front of you.
On the upside, I've really gotten good at bouncing a ball on a wedge while waiting to hit, and it gives me the chance to examine, in excrutiating detail, the annoying habits of my golfing buddies that speedy play usually covers up. That is all.