Debate: Walking does not slow down play.
Playing today, course is only 5800 or so yards from the back tees. I told them I was going to walk since it's a nice day. Guy at the counter says no, the course does not allow walkers before 2pm. He said the reason for it was that it slows down play.
Now in some cases, that might be true, but largely, walking does not have any serious impact on pace of play. I've walked and gotten sub 4 hour rounds, and drove and got 5+ hour rounds.
Walkers do not slow down play, slow golfers slow down play.
If the course was concerned about slow play, I said it would make sense then to give each golfer their own cart. He looked at me dumbfounded, said no, they assign two golfers to each cart. So how does that make it faster if one of us has to wait before we can go to our own ball while our partner hits. If I'm walking, I can go to my own ball and not have to walk back to a cart or wait on someone to hit.
Guy tried to make an argument that they can't have a bunch of 80 year olds walking out there. First, I'm not 80. Second, that's bullshit because slow play is not an age thing either. I've played with 80 year olds who played fast, and guys my age (20's) who took forever.
You know what would fix that? Having a ranger or employee that enforces pace of play. Or not spreading your tee sheet so thin and having a 7-8 minute gap between tee times.