November 2, 2008

How the Mulligan Started and at Winged Foot in David B. Mulligan's Own Words

About 10 years ago, I communicated with the Secretary- Archivist at the Country Club of Montreal (founded in 1910) in St. Lambert (Quebec) about our former member David Bernard Mulligan and this is what I learned.

Background on David B. Mulligan

David Bernard Mulligan was born in Pembroke, Ontario in 1871, the youngest of 7 children of Captain & Mrs. David Mulligan, graduated from High School at age 14, studied law at Osgood Hall and passed the Bar 3 years later at age 17. His interest turned to hotels and he started as a room clerk at the Palmer House in Chicago. He then worked at the old Holland House in Manhattan & then the old Waldorf Astoria Hotel, also as a room clerk.

Mr. Mulligan became owner and operator of the Russell House Ottawa, and in 1914 became General Manager of the Canadian National Hotel chain, remaining until 1924, when he became Manager of the Windsor Hotel in Montreal. Also in 1924, he took over duties of Manager of the Waldorf Astoria. He was a member of the Country Club of Montreal. In 1927 he formed his own company and bought the Windsor. He became President & Managing Director of the Biltmore in 1932, president of Realty Hotels in 1943 (Biltmore, Barclay & the old Park Lane Hotels). He was appointed Chairman of the Board in 1945. He was described as the Dean of North American Hotelmen.

Origin of the Mulligan in Canada - Its Beginning

The origin of the Mulligan is as follows: In the late 1920's, one David B. Mulligan regularly provided transportation to the Country Club of Montreal which is in St-Lambert (Quebec) for his regular foursome in his 1920's vintage Briscoe which was manufactured by the Maxwell Company. This touring car is what we now know today as a convertible. It had a 4 cylinder motor which developed 33 H.P.

The definition of "Mulligan" can be found in "The Language of Sports" by Tim Considine, a World Almanac Publication: A free shot to compensate for a mishit ball, sometimes permitted in a casual game. Named after Canadian Golfer David Mulligan.

In the late 1920's, Mulligan was given a second ball after mishitting his drive off the first tee, with his hands still numb after driving over rough roads and a particularly bumpy bridge at the course entrance. The bridge in question was Queen Victoria Jubilee Bridge now simply known as Victoria Bridge which is across the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and St. Lambert. The bridge was actually designed as a railway bridge. The roadbed on these two lanes instead of being made of concrete slabs was constituted of pieces of lumber laid side by side across the lane somewhat in the manner of a boardwalk. The wooden pavement was quickly worn, especially by horsedrawn traffic. The result was that it became very uneven, hence the bumps.

The other members of the foursome were John Patton (former Club Captain), Dr. Arnold Mitchell & Don Grant (nephew of Mulligan).

Origin of the Mulligan in the US

The "Mulligan" as we know it had its beginnings in America at Winged Foot Golf Club, probably in 1932 or 1933, when we believe David B. Mulligan joined the club. It is said that he was a friendly man who use to entertain his friends with stories about his life's experiences over a Scotch & soda in the Men's Upper Locker Room Lounge. In those days he commuted to Mamaroneck from Grand Central on the New Haven Railroad and didn't have the excuse of being shaken by driving a car across a bumpy bridge when he requested a 2nd shot off the first tee.

According to the USGA's Golf Journal in July 1985, they received a copy of a newspaper column in "Around the Sport Circuit" written by Don Mackintosh, which is an account of an interview he had with Dave Mulligan who was at the time in semi-retirement as well as a member of Winged Foot Golf Club. This is what Mr. Mulligan said, "For years I played golf with the same foursome every weekend. My partner was always L. G. Spindler, and our opponents were John A. Sexauer and Emmet "Milt" Kaylor (these gentlemen were all members of Winged Foot in the 1930's). One day while playing golf with this group, I hit a ball off the first tee that was long enough, but not straight. I was so provoked with myself that, on impulse I stooped over and put down another ball. The other three looked at me with considerable puzzlement, and one of them asked, "What are you doing?" I'm taking a correction shot, I replied. "What do you call that?" inquired Kayler. Thinking fast, I told him that I called it a mulligan. Well they laughed and let me play a second ball. But after the match, which we won by one point, there was considerable discussion in the clubhouse about that free shot. It all worked out amicably enough, but after that it became an unwritten rule in our foursome that you could take an extra shot on the first tee if you weren't satisfied with your original. Naturally, this was always referred to as "taking a Mulligan." From that beginning I guess the practice spread, and the name with it."

There we have it from the man himself, the story of how the "Mulligan" began in the United States at Winged Foot Golf Club, probably in the early 1930's!