MULLIGANS whats your opinion?????

[DavidFehertysBike]

I was thinking about this yesterday. I know that during a competition it'd be DQ (for practicing on the competition course), but otherwise, if you declared ahead of time that your shot was a practice and you were going to discard it regardless of the outcome, is there any problem with taking a practice shot on the course? It doesn't seem that way, but you never know where a rule might be lurking, and I don't know whether "competition" is meant to include any time you're playing for any purpose.

This might be sorta releated. But I learned last year at the state am qaulifer that accidently hitting the ball with a club (say during a practice swing) in the teeing ground is not a penalty and you can re-tee with no strokes added. The marshall expained it as you must use a "meaningful stroke". I was surprised.

[zeg]

This might be sorta releated. But I learned last year at the state am qaulifer that accidently hitting the ball with a club (say during a practice swing) in the teeing ground is not a penalty and you can re-tee with no strokes added. The marshall expained it as you must use a "meaningful stroke". I was surprised.

Yeah, it's covered in the rules. The "wiggle room" comes from the definition of a stroke:

A "stroke" is the forward movement of the club

On any shot but your tee shot, there's no safe-haven since you can either count your swing as a stroke or replace it and take a penalty stroke. However, on the tee, since the ball is not yet in play, there's no penalty for disturbing it. It's a very important rule to know, since if you do knock it down and wrongly decide to play it as it lands, you likely tee off from outside the tee box.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Yeah, it's covered in the rules. The "wiggle room" comes from the definition of a stroke:

I knocked the ball off the tee during my waggle. I was horrified at first and i thought was going to have to play my second from where it dropped, but the marshall just looked at me said said "tee it back up, that wasnt a stroke" He explained the rule to me after the group had all hit. What a relief..lol. But I imagine you can get really liberal with your definition of forward stroke in the tee ground with a few friends..

[jamo]

I don't normally use mulligans because I don't want to get into the habit of being able to take a second hack at every shot, because I know that in tournaments you can't do that. When I'm playing with my father or some friends, however, we usually allow ourselves 1 per 9 holes, because it's more fun, and it adds a little piece of strategy. These rounds I do not count for my handicap though. Also, sometimes when the course is wide open, I'll play with 2 balls, but I don't count these for handicap either.

[Lloyd Braun]

What is this "Mulligan" you speak of? I've re-read the entire rules of golf and can not find any mention of such a thing.

There is one tiny loophole in the rules that might allow for a mulligan. Decision 33-8/13 states:

"Q. An overhead power line is so situated that a perfectly played shot can be deflected. Would it be proper for the Committee to make a Local Rule allowing a player whose ball is deflected by this power line to replay the stroke, without penalty, if he wishes? "A. No. However, a Local Rule requiring a player to replay the stroke would be acceptable." Ultimately, it's up to your local course if they allow for this. If they do, then you actually have no choice but to replay your shot. http://golf.about.com/od/rulesofgolf...powerlines.htm

[Fourputt]

I was thinking about this yesterday. I know that during a competition it'd be DQ (for practicing on the competition course), but otherwise, if you declared ahead of time that your shot was a practice and you were going to discard it regardless of the outcome, is there any problem with taking a practice shot on the course? It doesn't seem that way, but you never know where a rule might be lurking, and I don't know whether "competition" is meant to include any time you're playing for any purpose.

Actually you wouldn't be disqualified for practice for playing a mulligan. Instead, it would become the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance. Your original ball would be deemed lost and the substituted ball would be your ball in play for the remainder of the hole. In essence you would have just caused yourself to take 2 extra strokes.

There is one tiny loophole in the rules that might allow for a mulligan. Decision 33-8/13 states:

That wouldn't even be anything like a mulligan, because when the local rule is in effect, you are

required to play another ball. The stroke with the original ball is canceled and you must play again from the same place. It's as if the first stroke never happened.

[hipcheck4u]

I gave up mulligans some three years ago because I wanted to be truly aware of how good (bad) a golfer I am. It's much more satisfying to look at a score card and know that I really did shoot what's on it. I don't get upset when others use mulligans, but I don't use them, ever.

[McGolf-Doggie]

Fine for folk in their first few times out / year and a half / or first couple of times playing on tough courses, and fine for duffers who only play a few times a year.

My second time out on a tough course, I think the guys I played with took pity on me as I was having a terrible day off the tee. I think they gave me a couple of mulligans on that day. That was about 2 1/2 years ago.

Personally, I was no longer interested in accepting mulligans after my second time on a challenging 18-holer. It's been mulligan free golf since then. TO me it's the rules are the rules, or what's the point?

But.... I'd have no problem offering a mulligan to a novice who's struggling his or her first several times out. And how they want to determine what "first several times out" means is up to them.

There comes a point for a beginner where your score starts to not be ridiculous. Personally, after I reached that point I didn't want to even think about any mulligans.

But for anyone serious or kinda serious about their game, or who takes the game seriously, it's just cheating oneself, because one winds up with no idea where one really stands, IMO.

[Lloyd Braun]

That wouldn't even be anything like a mulligan, because when the local rule is in effect, you are required to play another ball. The stroke with the original ball is canceled and you must play again from the same place. It's as if the first stroke never happened .[/QUOTE]

Like a mulligan

But seriously, all I was always trying to do was simply point to a rule that warrants the closest thing to a mulligan, even if it technically isn't.

[Zeph]

Playing for individual scores, mulligan is not an option. On fun play with friends, we might have a mulligan on the first shot if we don't warm up first.

Taking a mulligan is like cheating myself, which I'd rather not do. I play golf primarily against myself, not everyone else.

[Uncle Lau]

We in Singapore always take a Mulligan on our 1st shot on the first tee. Is it crazy ? Btw this Mulligan is it a person or a thing ? Please help ?

[alf174]

We in Singapore always take a Mulligan on our 1st shot on the first tee. Is it crazy ? Btw this Mulligan is it a person or a thing ? Please help ?

We call that a "breakfast ball". Those & mulligans are only for fun rounds, usually in the same round that we play more than one ball if the course is backed up or empty.

[Nike Markiie]

We allow 1 off the tee every 9 holes. (we are not good golfers in the group)

[Pete405]

when me & my buddies play we give 1 Mulligan per 9 but can only be used off the tee.... none of us are professionals , and we're not playing for money, we're playing to have a good time...So until the golf courses start paying me to play there...I play with 1 mulligan per 9!

[Cussin hacker]

The group I play with we only use a mulligin on the first drive of the day. Use it or loose it no carry over to any other holes. I our local tournies there are no freebees.

[CarlSpackler]

I don't believe in mulligans. Swallow the pill and move on.

[Prairie Golfer]

No mulligans for me. I doubt the second shot would be any better than the first.

[lumpuckeroo]

I don't do mulligans!