Pat and Carson,
Prior to bent greens in 1981, the Masters and Augusta for much of the year was played on over seeded rye grass greens. The course was closed during the prime Bermuda grass summer months.
Even so, my point on green speed was that with the US Open moving to different courses (like a very grainy and bumpy Pebble and Olympic for example, or a sun baked Southern Hills with bent, or Champions in Houston with Bermuda) and different areas of the country, it might seem that staying at one course every year would give the best opportunity to consistently increase green speeds, so I still attribute much of the need for speed to the Masters aura.
Not to mention, the stimp was invented, as pointed out to measure consistency, and was later thought of as a speed tool. Given all the courses such as listed above, I can sure see how the USGA THOUGHT they were promoting consistency at least at first. But, I think increased speed was just something golfers wanted, both from watching TV and because the greens were so darn bumpy back in those days. Smoother greens were the goal, and maybe they just turned out to be faster, as would make sense.
And for some reason, I recall thinking that MV and JN actually set the maintenance bar for awhile as he attempted fifth major status.......
On the other hand, for the most part, I am just playing devils advocate, much like Pat does from time to time.