The Mulligan

photo credit: Shannon Phantom   Traditionally, the mulligan is a shot that is re-taken only on the first tee.  Although there are no USGA rules governing the mulligan, it’s use continues among amateurs all over the world.  If a mulligan is taken and is worst than the first, the second shot is called a “Finnegan.”  Many golfers feel that giving a mulligan is good etiquette and in many cases, mulligans are sold to raise money for charity events.

The term “Mulligan,” was derived from the name of a Canadian golfer named David Mulligan in the 1920s.  During a round of golf at the Country Club of Montreal in Saint Lambert, Canada, Mulligan hit a poor tee shot, re-teed and shot again.  He called it a “correction shot.”  As time evolved, it became a “mulligan.”