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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Mulligans, Anyone?

Greg Rowley
“The term ‘mulligan’ is really a contraction of the phrase ‘maul it again.’” – Unknown A mulligan is a “do-over.” Although it’s never mentioned in The Rules of Golf, it’s a well-known golf term. A mulligan is also called a breakfast ball, brunch ball, or lunch ball (depending on the time of day), or druthers. The most common use is the custom of hitting two drives off the first tee and selecting the best one. The spirit of the custom is to give all players a chance to begin their round with a good drive. I discourage this practice on a busy golf course, especially if other groups are waiting to tee off behind you. But when a mulligan is appropriate, here are a few things to consider: The first player to take the tee should always ask for permission prior to teeing off. Mulligans? Druthers? Breakfast ball? If you wait and ask after a lousy drive, you’ll look like you’re begging. Keep the extra ball in your pocket and hit it while it’s still your turn. Don’t wait until after all of the other players have teed off to start your pre-shot routine all over again. If your first tee shot is good, then don’t hit a second. It’s a waste of time. Also, needing only one drive shows confidence when everyone else needs two. It’s best not to get greedy. The golf gods never forget, and will – I’m dead serious about this – inevitably reclaim the stroke later on during the round, always at a most inopportune time. In some cases, such as a short dogleg hole, there can be a strategic advantage to putting a ball safely in play and then attempting a more aggressive shot with the second ball, or vice versa. That’s allowed, but you should never change clubs to hit a mulligan. That’s a gross misinterpretation of the custom. If I Ruled the World Not only would I add a first tee mulligan to The Rules of Golf, I’d enforce it like this: If a first tee mulligan is permitted and taken, it then automatically becomes the ball in play, and the original ball is abandoned. I don’t mind the breakfast ball. It seems part of the culture that’s here to stay. It’s also typically based on habit, not necessity. It can be both time-consuming and make the first tee look more like a practice range than a golf course when every player in a fivesome hits two drives. I just think that a mulligan should come at a higher price. Per this new rule, if a first tee mulligan is taken, it must be used. There’s no choice. Doesn’t that seem like a fair trade-off for the free swing and opportunity of an improved start?