Understanding Mulligans In Golf

Mulligans are yet another unwritten rule of golf that is utilized by many. The number of mulligans you take and when you are allowed to take them can be quite confusing. That’s why this article is on hand to breakdown what exactly are mulligans in golf.

What Is a Mulligan In Golf?

The easiest way to describe a mulligan in golf is simply to refer to it as a do-over. When a golfer takes a mulligan he or she simply forgets about his last shot and takes another shot from the same position.

Mulligans are not allowed in professional or competitive tournament play. They are something that is typically used by casual golfers.

How many mulligans are allowed in golf?

The real answer to this question is zero. If you were attempting to play a round of golf that abides the rules then you will find that you are not allowed to take mulligans at all.

If you do decide to take mulligans to get more enjoyment from your round then you may want to talk with the other golfers. Let them know or set an amount of mulligans that can be used by each golfer throughout the round.

Are mulligans ever legal in golf?

The only times mulligans are ever legal in golf is if you are playing in a tournament that specifically allows them. Under typical golf rules there are no situations where mulligans are allowed.

Typically the only tournaments that allow mulligans are not very competitive. And are usually including the mulligans in the tournament for a specific reason.

Can I Use Mulligans In My Handicap?

No, if you are playing a round and are looking to include it in your handicap then you will not be able to use any mulligans. By doing this you would be artificially lowering your score and handicap.

All this will do is make your handicap lower than it should be. Making it more difficult for you if you plan on placing a bet or entering a tournament using your handicap.

In short, mulligans are not legal in rounds in which you would like to count towards your handicap.

Where Does Mulligan In Golf Come From?

There are several stories which claim to be the birth place of the term “mulligan” the none have been fully verified.

Likely the most prevailing theory comes from David Bernard Mulligan. David Bernard Mulligan was a Canadian hotel owner and golfers and has personally claimed eventing the term 1920’s.

The story goes that Mr.Mulligan hit a poor drive off the first tee. He then quickly placed another ball on the tee and prepared to hit again. The rest of his foursome looked at him and asked what he was doing.

Mr.Mulligan stated he was taking a correction shot. The group found this amusing and put forth a rule that allowed any golfer to retake his first tee shot. This action was then nicknamed a Mulligan.

The use of mulligans has slightly changed since that day. As they are now used to re-take any shot on the course. But the idea behind this piece of golf slang still holds strong to this day.

How to sell mulligans at a golf tournament?

One interesting way to earn some more money or raise money for charity at your golf tournament is buy selling mulligans.

Now, what does this mean exactly? The act of selling mulligans is essentially allowing players to purchase do-overs. They can use at some point during their tournament round.

If you are a tournament organizer you are going to want to let golfers know about this offer before arriving at the course. This allows to people to understand that mulligans may be included which will likely result in more mulligans purchased.

The best place to sell these mulligans is at the registration table, this way you’ll be able to ask each golfer directly if they are interested.

Conclusion Understanding Mulligans In golf

We hope you enjoyed our guide to understanding mulligans in golf. If you have any questions about mulligans in golf or anything else we’ve included in our article we encourage you to reach out in the comments below.

If you did enjoy this guide we hope you check out some of our other articles. Such as our guide to understanding yellow stakes in golf or our guide to understanding MOI in golf.

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