What is a mulligan in golf?
A mulligan is an informal do-over, replaying a shot with no penalty added to the score, that has no basis in the official Rules of Golf and exists purely as a casual custom among friendly rounds.
Ask for one in a medal round or a competition and the answer is simply no. The Rules of Golf, set jointly by The R&A and the USGA, contain no provision for replaying a shot without penalty, so taking one in a counting round would breach them outright. Where it lives is the social game: a first-tee nerves shot, agreed among the group before you even start, replayed without consequence purely by mutual consent. Some societies allow one a round, some restrict it to the very first tee only, and plenty of regular four-balls never mention the word at all: it's entirely down to who you're playing with, not any governing body. The consequence worth knowing is what it does to your card: the Rules of Handicapping state that "a round must be played by the Rules of Golf to be acceptable for handicap purposes" (Rule 2, read 9 September 2026), so a round in which you took a mulligan is not one you can submit. Confusing casual custom with the actual rules is a common beginner mix-up, alongside golf etiquette more broadly. Mark the round, mulligan or not, with our golf gifts.
A mulligan is a casual custom, not an entitlement under the Rules. Keep that separate from player conduct, where serious misconduct or a local Code of Conduct can bring penalties under Rule 1.2. The game guides also explain the 70/30 practice guideline.
Written by Craig Fearn, The Golf Gift Co. Last updated .