Trevor Ng
Golf is a game of two halves: it can be enjoyable and rewarding, but also incredibly frustrating. A mulligan is a second chance to replay a shot, often due to bad luck, poor weather, or a previous bad shot. It is not mentioned in the official rules of golf, but it is a powerful unofficial rule that many players stand by. The term is believed to have originated from a golfer named David Bernard Mulligan, who played in the 1920s at the Lambert Country Club in Quebec. However, there are several other theories about its etymology, including one that suggests it comes from a fictional baseball player, Swat Mulligan.
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What You'll Learn
A mulligan is a second chance at a shot, without penalty
Golf is a game of two halves: it can be extremely enjoyable and rewarding, but it can also be one of the most frustrating sports due to its many rules and the precision required. When it comes to amateur events or charity tournaments, golfers are often afforded a mulligan, which allows them to take another shot without penalty.
There are several theories about the origin of the term "mulligan". One popular theory suggests that it is named after David Bernard Mulligan, a Canadian golfer who played in the 1920s at the Lambert Country Club in Quebec. According to this theory, Mulligan hit a poor first tee shot, then immediately re-teed and took a "correction shot". His companions found this practice so fitting that they named it after him, and Mulligan later popularised the shot when he moved to the United States.
Another theory credits John A. "Buddy" Mulligan, a locker room attendant at Essex Fells Country Club in New Jersey during the 1930s. One day, after finishing his work, Mulligan played a round with two other men. His first shot was poor since he hadn't had a chance to practice, so he begged his playing partners to allow him another shot. They agreed, and Mulligan proudly boasted about getting an extra shot for months afterward. The members loved the idea and soon began giving themselves "Mulligans" in his honour.
It's worth noting that some golfers choose not to use mulligans, especially as their skills improve, as they want their scores to be legitimate.
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It is not an official rule, but a widely accepted practice
In golf, a mulligan is a stroke that is replayed from the spot of the previous stroke without penalty, due to an errant shot made on that previous stroke. It is not an official rule, but a widely accepted practice. The hole is played and scored as if the first, errant shot had never been made. This practice is disallowed entirely by strict rules in formal play, and players who attempt it or agree to let it happen may be disqualified from sanctioned competitions. However, in casual play, mulligans speed up the game by reducing the time spent searching for a lost ball, reducing frustration, and increasing the enjoyment of the game because a player can more easily shake off a bad shot with their second chance.
There are several stories about the origin of the term "mulligan" and the practice of taking a second chance shot. The United States Golf Association (USGA) claims that the term is named after David Bernard Mulligan, a Canadian golfer who played in the 1920s, primarily at Lambert Country Club in Quebec. One story goes that Mr Mulligan played a 'correction shot' after his first tee shot went awry. Those present believed it would be a fitting tribute to name this free shot after him, and so the Mulligan shot was born. Mulligan then popularised the shot when he moved to the United States.
Another story credits a different man named Mulligan – John A. "Buddy" Mulligan, a locker room attendant at Essex Fells Country Club in New Jersey during the 1930s. One day, after finishing his work, he played a round with two other men. His first shot was poor, and he begged his playing partners to allow him another shot since they had been practising all morning and he had not. They agreed, and Mulligan later boasted about having gotten an extra shot from them. The members loved the idea and soon began giving themselves "Mulligans" in his honour. One of the men, a reporter, began using the term in his golf articles.
A third theory suggests that the term originated with Swat Mulligan, a fictional baseball player with extraordinary batting skills who appeared in the New York Evening World during the 1910s. According to this theory, the name "Mulligan" was used as a byword for powerful hits, and the phrase "take a 'mulligan'" meant taking a powerful swing at the ball.
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It is named after a golfer, David B Mulligan
The term "mulligan" in golf refers to a do-over or a second chance to perform an action, and it specifically means taking a free retake of a stroke, shot, or hole during a round of golf. It is an opportunity to re-do a poor shot without counting the first attempt in the player's score. The term is believed to have originated from a golfer named David B. Mulligan, who was a member of the St. Lambert Golf Club in Quebec, Canada, during the 1920s.
The story goes that David B. Mulligan was a generous and social golfer, often hosting guests and friends at the course. On one occasion, Mulligan hit a poor tee shot and, not wanting to disappoint his guests or hold up play, requested to take another shot without counting the first one. This act of sportsmanship and hospitality became associated with his name, and the term "mulligan" stuck.
David B. Mulligan was known for his friendly and outgoing personality, and he embraced the idea of a second chance, not only in golf but also in life. He understood that a single mistake should not define an entire game or a person's character. This philosophy resonated with golfers and has become an accepted, though unofficial, part of the game, especially in casual rounds.
Over time, the term "mulligan" has become ingrained in golf culture and is now widely used across the golfing world. It represents the spirit of fairness, camaraderie, and the understanding that even the best golfers can benefit from a second chance. While the official rules of golf do not recognize a mulligan during tournament play, it is commonly utilized in friendly rounds, often agreed upon by all players before the start of the game.
The legacy of David B. Mulligan and the impact of his namesake term continue to influence how golfers approach the game and interact with one another. It serves as a reminder that golf is not just about strict rules but also about enjoying the game, fostering friendly competition, and embracing the opportunity to improve and learn from mistakes.
So, when a golfer asks for a "mulligan" today, they are invoking the name and spirit of David B. Mulligan, who, through his generous act, left an indelible mark on the world of golf.
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It speeds up play and increases enjoyment
Golf is a game of two halves; it can be extremely enjoyable and rewarding, but it is also one of the most potentially frustrating sports. Messing up a shot can make or break an afternoon spent on the links. This is where the mulligan comes in.
A mulligan is a second-chance shot that is replayed from the spot of the previous stroke without penalty. The hole is then played and scored as if the first errant shot had never been made. In casual play, mulligans speed up play by reducing the time spent searching for a lost ball, and they reduce frustration and increase enjoyment because a player can more easily "shake off" a bad shot.
The mulligan is not mentioned in the official rules of golf, and in strict, formal play, the practice is entirely disallowed. Players who attempt it or agree to let it happen may be disqualified from sanctioned competitions. However, in amateur or charity events, golfers are often afforded a mulligan, and it is a powerful unofficial rule by which many players still stand.
There are limits to the use of mulligans, and golfers should be mindful not to slow down play by taking too many. It is important to keep your own score and not worry about what others are scoring. As a player's game develops, they will naturally take fewer mulligans and can start playing "official" golf and keeping score.
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It can be used when a player has been hit by bad luck or bad weather
A mulligan in golf is a second chance to replay a shot, without penalty, from the spot of the previous stroke. It is not an official rule, but it is a widely accepted practice in amateur and charity events. It can be used when a player has been affected by bad luck or bad weather, allowing them to ""shake off" a bad shot and continue the game with reduced frustration.
The term "mulligan" is believed to have originated from a golfer named David Bernard Mulligan, a Canadian golfer who played in the 1920s at the Lambert Country Club in Quebec. One story suggests that Mr Mulligan played a "correction shot" after his first tee shot went awry, and his companions decided to name this unorthodox practice after him. Another tale mentions that Mulligan had a harrowing car journey to the golf course, which left him shaky, and he was kindly granted another shot after missing his first one.
There are other theories about the term's origin, including one that attributes it to John A. "Buddy" Mulligan, a locker room attendant at Essex Fells Country Club in New Jersey during the 1930s. Buddy Mulligan would play with professional golfers, and after hitting an awful shot, he begged his partners for a second chance, which they granted. The term is also said to have come from ""Swat Mulligan," a fictional baseball player with extraordinary batting skills, who was popular in the 1910s.
While a mulligan can be a helpful tool to ease frustration and speed up play, it is important to note that it is not allowed in formal competitions, and attempting to use one may lead to disqualification.
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Frequently asked questions
A mulligan is a replayed stroke that is taken from the spot of the previous stroke without penalty. It is usually taken due to an errant shot or bad luck, and the hole is played and scored as if the first shot never happened.
Mulligans are not mentioned in the official rules of golf and are not allowed in formal play. However, in casual play, they are often used to speed up the game by reducing the time spent searching for a lost ball, and to increase enjoyment by allowing players to quickly move on from bad shots.
There is no set limit to the number of mulligans a player can take, but taking too many may slow down the game. It is generally agreed that mulligans should only be used sparingly, and only in casual play.
There are several theories about the origin of the term 'mulligan'. One theory suggests that it is named after David Bernard Mulligan, a Canadian golfer who played in the 1920s and popularised the concept of taking a 'correction shot' after a poor tee shot. Another theory credits John A. 'Buddy' Mulligan, a locker room attendant at Essex Fells Country Club in New Jersey during the 1930s, who convinced his playing partners to allow him an extra shot after hitting a poor first shot.
