Birth of the Mulligan
January 14, 2009 by rswain
Filed under Curiousities, Golf, Notoriety, Sports and the Outdoors
A “Mulligan” is a golf term that refers to a “do-over,” or free shot to substitute for a mistake. But who was the original “Mulligan,” the lax linksman who gave the shot its name?
Turns out it was David Bernard Mulligan, who during the 1920s ran the Lord Elgin Hotel on Elgin Street for a while before moving to the United States. Originally born in Pembroke, Ontario, Mulligan was a member of a number of clubs, including the St Lambert Country Club in Quebec. A real comedian, he insisted on repeating failed swings during his games, and for whatever reason, he not only got away with it, it also became a running joke.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Reading your commentary on Mulligan, I noted that you mention the Lord Elgin in 1920. The hotel was built in 1941, so it must have been another hotel on Elgin - perhaps the Russell, which used to be on the Corner of Elgin and Queen.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Ann …
Thanks for the correction! We’ll do a bit of research and update our post. It’s great to get this sort of feedback, especially straight from a knowledgeable source.
There are a few articles about the Lord Elgin Hotel coming up in the near future, and I’d love to read your feedback about them.
–Richard