What is a “mulligan”? The exact origin of the term is unknown but the 3 possibilities that may have led to the origin of the term are:
1. After hitting a poor tee shot, Mulligan teed and replayed his shot which he referred to as a “correction shot”. His playing partners decided that it would be more fitting to name the practice after him. When moving from Canada to the U.S. David Mulligan introduced the concept.
2. A second version has the extra shot given to Mulligan due to his being jumpy and shaky after a difficult drive on the road to the course.
3. A third version is that he was given an extra shot after he overslept and then rushed to get ready to make the tee time.
The use of mulligans is prohibited by the rules of golf and can lead to disqualification when used in an event. In a social round we do take a mulligan now and then. Golfaround’s “rule” is that we should limit this to one mulligan per nine. You should not make use of a mulligan when it affects your pace negatively, or the group behind you are playing faster than you. Alternatively, practice harder and get into a position where you do not need a mulligan.