As a transplanted Canadian playing in Scotland, I can make the obvious point that there are slow players on both sides of the pond. But there is a culture of playing more quickly in Scotland (I didn't find it so much in England) that comes partly from easy access to courses, the long summer days, and is encouraged by the handicap system. Since it is possible to get a quick round of golf after work beginning at 6pm or even 7pm on a June evenuing, people expect to be able to. And for the most part during the week there is no need to agonise over 3 foot putts, or look for balls, which on a tough links course can in itself add 30 minutes (6 lost balls x 5 minutes for a threesome is not very many). While there are match play contests during the week, these obviously are much quicker than stroke play competitions.
On Saturday morning, however, and the weekly stroke competiion in foursomes, on which the handicap is based, play can be very slow, even though players know the course intimately. First thing in the morning, if there are no slow groups, the rounds can be as short as 3 hours 40 minutes, but one or two slow (or simply struggling) groups, and those that tee up at noon can look at 5 hours. (our treasurer gets special dispensation to head out at dawn in the summer and he is often finished and walking his dog at 7am.
I tend to play as fast as my companions. If they are slow I will take longer over my putts; if they are fast I'll keep up. Slow rounds are endurable as long as you aren't waiting for those in front of you.
I can understand, however, how a North American, playing a historiic links for the first time, may not want to be rushed. If there's no one about, why not spend 5 hours savouring every hole of a course you may never see again. Let the impatient members through. Soak it all in. And, of course, you will need to spend time looking for those golf balls (a 4-ball at County Down could surely have to look for 20).
here speed up to look for balls