Mulligans in mini golf

Mulligans are off by default. If your group wants redo swings, agree how many before hole 1 and write that number down. Bargaining mid-round is how a friendly card turns into chaos.

Posted course rules beat this page. These are casual house rules for family and friends, not a tournament committee.

Default: off

Casual stroke play already has a stroke cap. Pick-up at 6 or 7 keeps the park moving without inventing free shots. Most groups never need a mulligan rule. Start there.

If someone wants a change, change it now, on the first tee pad or at the counter, not after a ball jumps a rail on hole 8.

If you turn them on

Decide	Write it down
Are mulligans allowed?	Yes or no
How many per player?	A fixed count for the round
Per hole or per round?	Per round is simpler for kids
Do they replace the stroke?	Say so out loud before anyone tees
Cap still applies?	Yes — mulligans do not erase the hole max

A common casual pattern: each player gets a small fixed number for the whole round, announced before hole 1. When the bucket is empty, it is empty. Do not invent new mulligans because the windmill "felt unfair." Shops disagree on windmills. Copy the story your group said out loud.

Chaos warning

Unlimited mulligans erase the card. Nobody knows who is ahead, pace dies, and the group behind you waits in the sun. Cap the count. Stick to it.

Do not mix "one more try" with a shorter tee rule mid-hole unless that was already the plan. Tee rules and mulligans are different tools. Pick one story and keep it.

Steps before hole 1

Ask: do we want mulligans at all?
If no, say "off" and move on.
If yes, pick a number per player for the round.
Write it on the paper card or remember it on the phone card.
Confirm the stroke cap still stands (6 or 7).

Skip mulligan bargaining with kids mid-hole. Same cap as the adults keeps the math honest. Cheer the putt that drops instead.

House-rules cheat sheet: /rules. Scoring basics: /how-to-score. Open the / scorecard when you are ready to tee.