The Origin of the Mulligan

Did you ever wonder where the term 'mulligan' came from? It appears no one really knows for sure, but here are several theories:

WTF is a mulligan?

My favorite theory - The "Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" offers a more prosaic explanation. It postulates the word derives from saloons that, back in the day, would place a free bottle of booze on the bar for customers to dip into. That free bottle was called, according to the book, a Mulligan. The term was adapted to the golf course to denote a "freebie" to be used by golfers.