Mulligans & Pace of Play

[RGoosen]

I don't take myself very seriously and I am all for having a good time.  If someone wants to play mulligans, use foot wedges, or pick up 6 footers as "gimmies" then I am all for it if the other guy is having a good time in a casual round.

However, I got really frustrated by two golfers we were paired with this past weekend.  They spent too much time looking for lost balls, but worse than that...

They consistently hit hit multiple tee shots off every tee box.  If you can place a second ball from your pocket on the tee and hit it in a timely manner that is cool with me.  But why the hell can't you get a brain and keep 3 or 4 balls in your pocket.  On at least 4 tee boxes he would hit and gradually stride back to his golf cart to grab a ball and start his Kevin Na routine only to lose another ball.

In my mind you forfeit your chance to hit a mulligan off the tee if you can't keep another golf ball in your pocket.  Am I wrong?

[Buckeyebowman]

All I can say is this. "Sometimes, I wish that I could actually commit murder!"

[RGoosen]

37 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

All I can say is this. "Sometimes, I wish that I could actually commit murder!"

I wanted to question him on it but he was so oblivious to it I thought something was wrong with him.  I avoid confrontation at all cost but he was certainly pushing my limits. :) 

[isukgolf]

I hate taking Mulligans especially if we are already slow ... I have suggested to people to just drop where you think it went out ... hell drop on the fairway if you want ... but for the love of god keep pace! 

[CyboNinja]

1 hour ago, isukgolf said:

I hate taking Mulligans especially if we are already slow ... I have suggested to people to just drop where you think it went out ... hell drop on the fairway if you want ... but for the love of god keep pace! 

This! So much this. Rules say you get 5 minutes to look for a ball. If someone is waiting I'll take maybe a minute. If I don't find it, I drop near where I last seen it and play on. 

 

 

Also a simple suggestion is hardly confrontational. "Hey man, you oughta keep a couple extras in your pocket". Or even toss him an one when he is walking up to the tee. "Just in case you need it" as you throw it his way. If they still don't get the hint then they're just an oblivious jerk and nothing you can do or say will help. 

[gregsandiego]

2 hours ago, isukgolf said:

I hate taking Mulligans especially if we are already slow ... I have suggested to people to just drop where you think it went out ... hell drop on the fairway if you want ... but for the love of god keep pace! 

AGREED.

No one has mentioned that often the Mulligan shot is worse. Even more reason not to do it.

 

[Patch]

I golfed with a guy who ask me if he take a mulligan. I told him no problem. 

I don't take mulligans, but I don't really care what other golfers do. 

[Rainmaker]

One time really sticks out in my mind - several years ago.  I was stuck behind a foursome that was hitting 3-4 tee shots each.  Each one with full pomp and circumstance. 

Normally I don't mind mulligans at all - just drop another one, hit it and move on . . .but in this particular case the medicine was worse than the disease . .so to speak. 

[woodzie264]

7 hours ago, isukgolf said:

I hate taking Mulligans especially if we are already slow ... I have suggested to people to just drop where you think it went out ... hell drop on the fairway if you want ... but for the love of god keep pace! 

Agreed. Assuming they very slow, I may have politely said, I'm in a hurry to get somewhere, mind if I play ahead ?" Even if you started with a group immediately in front of you, there is no way your current playing partners were keeping pace with them. Play on without them!

[imsys0042]

Mulligans are fine if you aren't posting or are not holding anyone up.   And I wouldn't be bothered if someone took 30 seconds to hit another shot if they were trying to work something out and proceeded without delay.   The people who are just oblividiots bother me.

The original story reminds me of a match I played earlier this summer.   Teamed up with 2 guys who "didn't want to play as a twosome" presumably because they didn't want to wait all the time.   Boy did they make us slow and make us wait.   Multiple balls on many holes that they would drop and hit!  With people behind us waiting, and while my opponent and I were hitting!   

Other fun stuff with them was deciding to play music out of a speaker without asking me (in a match!!), they asked my opponent but never bothered with me.  That didn't stick out until later in the round when I was complaining about how rude they were.   They talked so much during our swings by the end that something was said to them.   Completely just into their own thing and don't care if they affect others.   Just like the people in the OP.

[saevel25]

The time to hit the mulligan doesn't just contribut to the time of the round, it's also looking for that ball and going to get it. If the course isn't packed and the group isn't right behind you then take an extra shot sparingly is OK. 

[imsys0042]

6 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

The time to hit the mulligan doesn't just contribut to the time of the round, it's also looking for that ball and going to get it. If the course isn't packed and the group isn't right behind you then take an extra shot sparingly is OK. 

I generally agree with you, although on carts unless both are in trouble it should be pretty quick.  However I wanted to point out something very funny that I have seen several times at my home course.   I go into the woods or in a hazard area and am looking for a ball.   I find a ball, say a Titleist 4 with a red dot.  Look within 10 feet and find the exact same ball with the exact same mark!!!  Yes, most likely someone took a mulligan (or provisional) and did the exact same bad swing....  Ouch!

[ol 3 putts]

Maybe at my level I should take a mulligan or two, I just never do. Once someone takes more then one or two during a round I try to find a way to mention I never take them because it feels like cheating at solitaire. With that said, if those I get paired up with take them, as long as they are not slowing us down even if we are not holding anyone up I really don't care...... much.

[Osnola]

I will generally take a mulligan on first tee if no one else is waiting behind me.  Other than that, no mulligans.  To speed up play, i will pick up anything inside 2' and take it as a gimme....

[GangGreen]

Tough call when you are playing with people you don't know, if I'm playing a round with friends I'll generally recommend just dropping one by a playing partner just to keep things moving along vs. teeing up multiple balls (unless there's no one behind us, then I really don't care).

[dave s]

The guys your describing were using a round of golf as range practice.  Not good ever, IMO.  If you want to practice tee balls, (pointing) there's the range.

My league has one or two guys who miss an approach shot and drop a 2nd for a non-counted 'do-over.'  I find this practice frustrating and will usually say something on the second offense.

The difference between the range and a round of golf is you only get ONE pass at each shot during the round of golf.  On the range, you can hit as many 7-irons as you want to the same target.

dave

[No Mulligans]

I have a friend that plays for fun, doesn't keep a handicap, and takes a bunch of Mulligans.  It's a pace of play issue for me.  And, oh yeah, it's pretty annoying when he reports his "score" at the end of the round.

Thus my forum name.

[Rip62]

I usually give myself one mulligan off the tee and maybe one from the fairway. As a rule though I almost always use a mulligan on shots in the water so I don't really feel I slow things up since I'd be taking another shot anyway.