By RICK TEVERBAUGH



There are a couple of tests that really good, non-statistical sports games must pass.

The first is a repeat-play fun factor. The question is: When you finish playing one game do you find it hard not to play another?

The second is directed at the non-hardcore fan. Will that fan want to play anyway?

On both of these questions Mulligan Dice Golf gets very high marks.

Mulligan Dice Golf is a dice game that is the product of Kelly and Kirk Steingreaber.

Kelly Steingreaber is from the Chicago area and graduated from Purdue University with a degree in hotel management. She now lives in Albuquerque. N.M., working in the area of human resources.

“We are both avid golfers,” said Steingreaber. “The game really had its origins in a five-minute conversation. We had been playing other golf dice games like Golo and Koplow’s game.”

Mulligan Dice Golf is a game that uses six different 12-sided dice. Which of the six dice are used for each hole depends on whether the hole is a par-3, par-4 or par-5. Two of the dice that are always used are the “putting” dice and the “weather” dice.

Each die represents a shot or series of shots. All of the dice are rolled at once. Once the roll has been made, the golfer has two options. The first is to simply re-roll all of the dice. That is called a Hole Mulligan and can be used once every hole.

There is also an option to re-roll just one die. That is called a Shot Mulligan. There are only six Shot Mulligans available each round of 18 holes. The game comes packaged with the chips to keep track of those mulligans.

But it is forbidden for a player to use a Shot Mulligan and Hole Mulligan on the same hole. So there is a series of tough choices that need to be made on nearly every hole to try and post the lowest score.

Another innovative idea is the use of the Stymie. “We wanted there to be some interaction in the game,” said Steingreaber.

Any time a player has to settle for a double bogey (2-over-par) or worse, that player can use the Stymie on any other player. When a player has the Stymie, then his next roll on a hole must be kept. He can’t use a Hole Mulligan or a Shot Mulligan.

There can be only one Stymie in play at a time. So if you get a double bogey or worse while Stymied, you can’t pass the Stymie along to somebody else.

For those who would like to try the game, there is a Web site (www.playmulligan.com) that has more information about the game and how to purchase it. But there’s also an online version where it is possible to play rounds against computer-controlled golfers.

“We have about 300 to 400 online players,” said Steingreaber. “We use it to entice people to try the game out.”

But right now the percentage has been low in regard to the number of players who buy the product after trying it online.

“We’ve had about 25 percent buy it after being an online player,” said Steingreaber. “We’re finding that people who play games online aren’t always the kind who will buy a board game and sit down with a group of friends and play.”

But the people who try the tabletop version buy at a much higher rate.

“We have nine out of 10 people who try the game that way, buy it,” said Steingreaber. “All reactions to the game have been very positive. People really like to play in foursomes.”

Steingreaber’s lowest round has been a 65, but she has seen a dice player record a score as low as 62. The top score by an online player is 58.

“Kirk spent a lot of time getting the math right,” said Kelly Steingreaber. “We really have the game set up to have a U.S. Open type scores. An average score is 73.1.”

Many people have collected large numbers of players and played tournaments. Virtually any golf games that can be played on the course can be played with Mulligan Dice Golf.

The game sells for $24.99 and each game includes an embossed leather dice cup with secure lid, six custom dice, 24 shot mulligan chips (six chips for up to four players), stymie block, rule book, scorecards and pencil.

The game can be played with a scorecard from any golf course.