[fliptuner]

Westwood Exec course (Coq.) also has specials, depending on the time/day.

In terms of holding people up, go with people who can play. They can give you a lot of pointers and keep you on pace. Worst case, you let the group behind, play through. Twilight at most courses, during the week, is less busy, so there's less pressure to hurry up.

I'd also be hesitant to buy brand new gear, when you're just starting out. This is my first season and I'm only into my set for a few hundred bucks for more than decent gear (Burner 2.0 driver, Nickent/Cally hybrids, Titleist 762 4-pw, cheap 60*, putter, 3w and 5w). The putter and wedges are only getting upgraded when I know exactly what I want and can get them for a great deal. The time to buy is in the offseason anyways. Keep an eye out for demos at golf stores, where you can test them out and go on CL once in a while to see if there are good deals.