A mulligan is the do-over that every golfer has mentally claimed at some point — usually within about three seconds of watching their opening tee shot vanish into the trees. You re-hit, nobody counts the first one, and the round carries on as if it never happened. It's one of the most recognised customs in golf, and one of the most misunderstood when it comes to what's actually permitted under the rules.
What exactly is a mulligan?
A mulligan is an unofficial do-over shot. The original stroke is erased from both memory and the scorecard, and the player replays from the same spot with no penalty. No formal rule governs it. No governing body sanctions it. It exists purely as a social custom agreed between playing partners in the moment.
The key word is "unofficial." The R&A and USGA Rules of Golf 2024 contain no mention of a mulligan anywhere. There are legal mechanisms that allow replaying a shot under specific circumstances — a provisional ball (Rule 18.3) for a ball that may be lost or out of bounds, or stroke-and-distance relief (Rule 18.1) — but both involve a penalty stroke and strict conditions. A mulligan involves neither.
Where does the word "mulligan" come from?
The most widely cited origin story places the mulligan in 1920s Canada. According to the popular account, a club member named David Mulligan — a hotel manager at St. Lambert Country Club in Montreal — regularly arrived at the first tee in a rattled state after a long, bumpy drive to the course. His playing companions routinely let him re-hit his opening tee shot as a gesture of sporting goodwill.
Other versions attribute the name to a locker room attendant or club manager of that surname at courses across New York and New Jersey around the same era. Golf historians have never definitively settled the question.
Whatever its precise origin, the term took hold in North America and spread throughout the wider golf world as shorthand for any informally granted second chance — whether on the tee, the fairway, or anywhere a shot goes badly enough that the group decides to look the other way.
Is a mulligan legal under the Rules of Golf?
No. Under the Rules of Golf, replaying a shot without penalty when the rules don't specifically permit it means playing from a wrong place or recording an incorrect score. The consequences in a competitive context are clear:
- Stroke play: two penalty strokes per hole affected under Rule 14.7a. If a player knowingly plays under conditions that conflict with the Rules, the penalty escalates to disqualification.
- Match play: the opponent is entitled to claim the hole.
The one context where a mulligan is genuinely harmless is a casual, non-competitive round with no official result on the line — no handicap submission, no club competition, no formal side bet with agreed rules. Playing partners can mutually decide to modify the conditions of play precisely because nothing official is at stake.
When mulligans actually appear on the course
Casual weekend rounds
A Sunday morning game with friends is the natural habitat of the mulligan. The informal conventions most groups settle into:
- First tee only: the classic mulligan is reserved exclusively for the opening drive. That's where it started, and it's the context where it causes the least disruption to pace or scoring integrity.
- One per round, maximum: letting mulligans spread beyond the first hole distorts scores and, more critically, slows the round for every group behind you on the course.
- Agreed before the first shot: if the group wants to allow a mulligan, decide before anyone tees off. Claiming one mid-round without prior agreement is considered poor etiquette.
Charity golf days and corporate events
Charity golf has turned the mulligan into a fundraising mechanism. Organisers sell mulligans — typically one, two, or three per player — before the round starts, with the proceeds going to the charitable cause. Players then use them on any shot they choose during the round.
This arrangement is widely accepted in the informal amateur golf world. However, any round played with purchased mulligans is not a WHS qualifying round and produces no valid handicap scores. The objective is fundraising and enjoyment, not competitive golf, and everyone involved understands this from the start.
Mulligan etiquette: the unwritten rules
Even where mulligans are tacitly accepted, there are conventions worth knowing so you don't come across as the awkward one in the group:
- Never claim one — wait to be offered. A mulligan is granted by the group, not demanded by the individual. Announcing "I'm hitting that again" without anyone offering it is bad form.
- Respect the group behind you. A second shot on the first tee while another group is waiting to play is not acceptable regardless of how badly the first one went. Pace of play overrides everything.
- Don't mix mulligans with WHS rounds. If you're submitting the score for handicap purposes, every shot must be counted. Mulligans and qualifying rounds are fundamentally incompatible.
- Accept the result if the do-over is also bad. The mulligan carries no guarantee. If the second shot also finds trouble, you play it — there's no third attempt.
- Apply the same standard to everyone. If one player takes a mulligan on the first hole, the same option should be on the table for every other player in the group throughout that round.
Mulligan vs. your legal alternatives
When the round genuinely counts — club competition, WHS handicap submission, or a serious side bet with agreed rules — you need the official Rules of Golf equivalents. Here's how the most common situations compare:
| Situation | Legal option | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Drive might be lost or out of bounds | Provisional ball (Rule 18.3) | Stroke and distance (1 stroke + replay) |
| Ball unplayable anywhere except a bunker | Unplayable ball relief (Rule 19.2) | 1 stroke |
| Want to replay from the same spot you played from | Stroke and distance (Rule 18.1) | 1 stroke |
| Ball unplayable in a bunker, want relief outside | Special bunker relief (Rule 19.3) | 2 strokes |
Knowing which relief option applies in which situation is far more useful on the course than any unofficial do-over. If you're standing over a difficult lie and genuinely unsure what the rules allow, take a photo with Lazar: the visual AI analyses your exact situation and delivers the correct ruling in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take a mulligan in match play? Not under the rules, unless your opponent formally concedes the stroke. In match play, conceding a stroke is a legitimate act your opponent can make at any time. If they say "play it again" and accept the second shot, they've effectively conceded the first one. Without that explicit agreement, replaying without penalty is a breach of the rules, and your opponent can claim the hole.
Does taking a mulligan affect your WHS handicap? Yes. Any round played with mulligans is not a valid WHS qualifying score. The World Handicap System requires all shots to be counted in line with the Rules of Golf. If you've taken a mulligan during the round, don't submit the card as a qualifying score.
Do professional golfers ever take mulligans? Never in competition. On the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LIV Golf, or LPGA Tour, the Rules of Golf are applied strictly with no informal dispensation of any kind. In pro-am events or light-hearted exhibition rounds, the format may be adjusted for entertainment — but that's explicitly agreed in advance and produces no official scoring results.
Is one mulligan per round the universal norm? It's the most common informal convention, particularly limiting it to the opening tee shot. Charity events typically sell packages of two or three. There's no universal standard — the right number depends entirely on the group and the purpose of the day.
Not sure whether you can replay a shot, or which relief option applies in your specific situation? Open Lazar, photograph the lie, and get an instant ruling without flipping through the rulebook.