I can say that we do a totally poor job of maintaining pace of play on golf courses. And it is simply the fault of the golf professional staff (and I am speaking about my own 'brothers' here).
-I rarely have a problem with my members maintaining a pace. My members play in 3 hours, 4 at most and anything above that, I get the business from them. They play ready golf, and don't get so detailed about stupid formalities. The major problem with pace of play is tourist groups, and the fact that clubs like to claim that a good pace of play is 4 hours 15 minutes or something in that area. Its a foolish time standard, way too high, but somehow the USGA and the PGA has jumped on board and started to say that these paces are good times. My course is 'pace rated' at 4 hours 20 minutes. Tobacco Road is rated at 4 hours 30 minutes. Both times are far too long, yet no major governing organization feels this way.
-By the way, I played Country Club of North Carolina (Dogwood) today, played a 5some, myself, two of my assistant superintendents, the asst super from CCNC and one of the workers from CCNC. I played decent at best (78), and the other guys played very average, two probably shot 82ish, one probably shot 90, and the other did not break 100. We played from the tips (not my choice, btw) and played in less than 4 hours. This is a golf course with a rating of 75.5/140 and 5 average golfers played in less than 4 hours. Don't tell me you can't play golf fast!!!!!!!