I'm not sure that "FAST PLAY" is the opposite of slow play.
I think reasonable pace, is the opposite of slow play.
Reasonable pace, IMHO, can be defined 2 ways:
- The norm for a specific club / course
- The personal preference for an individual / foursome
Commenting on a specific club / course - this can vary widely and frankly often seems parallel to the club's perception by the outside world. For instance, I love the fact that a member at PVGC can go "on notice" if they and guests have a long round on a given day and could have their membership at risk for continued transgressions.
It seems, more often than not, that the better regarded a club may be to the outside world, the more adamant the club is in encouraging pace of play throughout the day. For instance, my old home course on Long Island, was as strict about enforcing pace of play (3:45 - 4:00) for foursomes, no matter Saturday morning, or ladies' day on Wednesdday.
My current home course, conversely, is struggling with pace of play and expectations vary dramatically - 4:15 to we don't care, cause the course isn't crowded.
At a personal level, I enjoy getting on a cart after work, and if my home course is wide open, getting a round of golf in at about 2:15 before I get home and have dinner with the kids. If I could play foursomes in 3:15, similar to my travels in Scotland, I would be the happiest camper in the world. I also believe that a foursome should move as quickly as the course would allow (take advantage of open holes ahead). That said, I understand that others might find it a bit hurried and not appropriate for other folks.