I cannot even count the number of holes
I've screwed up after waiting in the fairway
with a wedge in my hand--just as you say. And when it's my turn to hit, I've already taken so many practice swings and cursed so many times, I just step up and wail away like Beowulf hacking at Grendel. I do blame
hackers trying to look like pros, and the
pro tips in magainzes encouraging slow habits.

Growing up, my folks weren't members of a golf club (they are now) so my brother and I learned to play on public courses. The very FIRST thing we were taught? "If you can't play GOOD, play FAST"! ;) That's still the best advice for 99.9% of golfers today.

I agree with you Tim. People watch the pro golfers and emulate them. Biggest difference? MY 10-footer MIGHT be worth $20 bucks, and theirs might be worth $2 million.

Or as we say "If you're rubbish at golf, at least be fast rubbish".

Kiel - Beowulf? Respect.

Slow play and failure to repair ball marks on the greens. I have been repairing around 50 ball marks every time I play and this is at a private country club. The club management just shrug their shoulders.
I played a public course in California and the staff would repair all ball marks at the end of the day. The bent grass greens were always in beautiful shape.

I don't disagree with the fact that slow play can sometimes become and annoyance. But on the other hand my Sat. or Sun. early morning round is the only true "down time" I have during a 70 hour work week. And if I have to spend an extra 45 mins to and hour out there where I love to be walking the fairways and chatting with my playing partners, before heading back to household chores or even the office, well then isn't that OK? Seems to me the people that get pissed off att slow play are more "wanting to be the pro" than the guy having a nice day out there, not wantint to rush things. You say you are 120 yards out there with your wedge and hit a lousy shot when you have to wait. Which means you think you can stick it close every time from there. If you could maybe you would be a pro but instead you use the slow play as an excuse for your lousy approach. Instead of taking all those practice swings and cursing, why not stand by your bag, take a breath, enjoy the peace and quiet and start your pre shot routine when the path in front of you is clear. Cause you aren't out there to make a living, you should be out there to have fun.

Smudge makes a good point.

Smudge doesn't have a point, he has a preference. He's entitled.

The problem isn't the pros. The real problem can be seen comparing any product in a grocery store to golf courses. There are, for example, shampoos for people with greasy hair, thick hair, African hair and a variety of pointless additives. By contrast, every golf course is "nestled" somewhere and "is an excellent challenge for golfers of all skill levels."

Most other brands take substantially identical products and try to differentiate them. The golf course industry takes substantially unique products and try to make them the same.

If the golf course industry acted like every other industry, Smudge could have his 5 hour course and I could have my 3-1/2 hour course.

I think what Smudge is saying is that if you get behind a packed course, well, just carpe diem.

That's the difference, isn't it? If it's a packed course, you get yourself into the mindset to accept that it is going to be a long day.
But if there are empty holes ahead of the group playing soooo slowly in front of you, it's difficult to be quite so laidback.