DID YOU KNOW THAT In 1946 the FSA Board tried to discourage the use of wax, sand and meal on all courts?  They figured that the courts would be more uniform if these were not applied.  Mirror Lake in St. Petersburg used neither sand, wax nor meal to make their courts run faster.  The following year, in 1947, the Board approved the rule that any club holding a sanctioned tournament would not use wax, meal, or any other foreign substance on their courts for a period of four weeks before the tournament.

Neither “sand, wax, nor meal” > meal is used in Arizona; wax I can see, and I suppose that sand, given the right texture would act similar to beads!!  One cannot argue with their conclusion, that is, if the courts were equally resistant at the beginning??    For me, the speed is not the most critical factor; for me it is the drift which requires your attention!  However; one thing we have all learned as shufflers, especially when competing at the International Level with other nations and other parts of our own country, one must be tolerant and  understanding!! 

Stan McCormack.  2012 10 25.