Why is it called a mulligan?

Theory: 'Mulligan' Is Named After a Golfer
Mulligan probably originated when the golf do-over was christened mulligan after the name of a golfer who kept replaying shots. That's the most likely explanation, and according to Occam's Razor the simplest explanation is more likely to be the true one.
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How did a Mulligan get its name?

The first is that one day Mulligan hit a poor drive off the first tee, then simply re-teed and hit another ball, telling his amused playing partners that he had taken a "correction shot." That "correction shot" soon became known as "taking a mulligan."
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What is the term Mulligan mean?

Definition of mulligan

: a free shot sometimes given a golfer in informal play when the previous shot was poorly played.
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Are mulligans legal in golf?

A Mulligan in golf is a shot which is allowed to be replayed without penalty and as if the first shot had not even happened. Thus if a player is unhappy with a bad shot, he or she can simply repeat it. It is against the rules of golf, but it is used in some social games.
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How many mulligans are allowed in golf?

It is rarer still - rarely seen, in fact - for mulligans to be used on the putting green. And some groups allow mulligans from just about anywhere on the golf course, but set a limit - say, three mulligans per round, or nine, or 18.
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Why Do Golfers Yell "Fore"? Who was Mulligan? (and More)



Why do they say 4 in golf?

It Is Derived from the Word 'Forecaddie'

Forecaddies were in charge of watching the golf balls and indicating where the golf balls landed. To let the forecaddie know when the ball was being struck, the golfers would yell out forecaddie. Eventually, the caddie part was dropped, leaving just the fore.
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Who invented the mulligan in golf?

'Buddy' Mulligan, who worked at the club during the 1930s and was known for replaying shots, particularly on the first tee.
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Are mulligans only for tee shots?

Traditionally, mulligans can only be played on tee shots (which are notoriously difficult to make accurately), and sometimes they may only be played on the first tee shot of the round.
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Are mulligans allowed in the Masters?

Mulligans are definitely, absolutely not allowed under the Rules of Golf.
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What is a dog leg in golf?

A dogleg hole is one that is crooked or bends like the hind leg of a dog. Doglegs tend to be strategic holes where the player must aim to find a suitable spot on the fairway from the tee with which to get around the bend, or dogleg of the hole, with the next shot.
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Who was the real Hercules Mulligan?

Hercules Mulligan (September 25, 1740 – March 4, 1825) was an Irish-American tailor and spy during the American Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Sons of Liberty.
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Why is it called a birdie in golf?

Used to score one under par. It began to be used in 1899 in New Jersey. It turns out that on one game day, three golfers were playing when one of them, on his second stroke, hit a bird in flight with the ball and it landed very, very close to the hole. The teammates said it was a stroke of luck for a 'birdie'.
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Why is it called an eagle in golf?

The meaning being a score of one under par. Eagle: American in origin, this play on birdie essentially upped the stakes. If a good score of one-under was a bird, a great score of two-under was a more prestigious bird.
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Why is it called skins in golf?

According to an old legend, the name originated from American furriers who arrived in Scotland and took to the golf links and gambled the rounds with their pelts (animal skins). It is interesting to know that in the past, the game was known by many popular regional names such as cats, scats, skats, and syndicates.
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What does fore mean in Scottish?

"Fore!", originally a Scots interjection, is used to warn anyone standing or moving in the flight of a golf ball.
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What's a breakfast ball in golf?

In golf, the term "breakfast ball" is an euphemism for a mulligan. Basically, a "breakfast ball" is a mulligan for a tee time that is in the morning.
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What is the longest putt ever made on the PGA Tour?

The longest recorded holed putt in a major tournament is 33.5 m 110 ft by; Jack Nicklaus (USA) in the 1964 Tournament of Champions; and Nick Price (Zimbabwe) in the 1992 United States PGA.
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Should you take mulligans?

The drive on the first tee box goes out of bounds.

If playing a recreational round, it's never fun to start OB. Keeping mulligans as an option makes things more enjoyable for some, but excessive mulligans can strip the stakes and enjoyment of the game for competitive-minded players.
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What is a Gilligan in golf?

Gilligan – Golfers can agree on a gilligan when in a match. Once a gilligan is in effect, your opponent can ask you to play a shot again, usually on a long putt holed. (
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How do you play mulligans in golf?

To use a mulligan, Player A would first hit a shot and not be pleased with the result. After the shot's result is known, Player A can immediately call for a mulligan, if available, and use it to hit the shot again. To use a recall, Player A would first hit a shot and be pleased with the result.
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What is golf Duff?

A duff, also known as a chili dip, happens when you hit way too far behind your intended impact area and lay the sod over the ball. This often occurs when players are nervous and feeling pressure.
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Why does golf have 18 holes?

Andrews formalized the rules and stated, “One round of the Links, or 18 holes is reckoned a match, unless otherwise stipulated.” Legend has it that the reason for 18 holes is that a bottle of whiskey contained the same number of shots as holes on a course, thus providing just enough drink for a shot on each hole.
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Why is a bogey called a bogey?

So at Yarmouth and elsewhere the ground score became known as the bogey score. A 'bogle' was a Scottish goblin as far back as the 16th Century and a Bogey-man was a widely used term for a goblin or devil. Golfers of the time considered they were playing a Mister Bogey when measuring themselves against the bogey score.
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What does golf mean in slang?

A common misconception is that the word GOLF is an acronym for Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden. This is a 20th century joke and definitely not true. It is now generally accepted that the 'golf' is derived from an old word meaning 'club', though this in turn may have older cognate roots dating back to ancient times.
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