2004 Club Car rough start forward/reverse

[parkmanaa]

Bought a 2004 Precedent Carryall 2 a few months ago. Immediately noticed when lever was in reverse golf cart would wait until engine reved well past idle, then lurch backward. The situation now is almost as bad with forward. Also, at times, with engine running, lever won't go into forward or reverse, but if you kill the engine it shifts either way freely.
Engine doesn't seem to be idling too fast.

Any experience on this or how it could be corrected?