Supporters of Mulligans Bar & Café breathed a sigh of relief on 7/28 as a vote by councilmembers fell in favor of the 23-year-old eatery located at Santa Barbara Municipal Golf Course. At issue was a hard look at privatizing the golf course, pro shop, and food-and-beverage services under a single management company to save the city upward of $368,000 annually. While that umbrella option made the most sense on paper, it couldn’t account for Mulligans’ pervasive community vibe and affordable menu. Thus, councilmembers opted to keep doing business with Mulligans — which has never had a year that wasn’t financially better than the one before — while calling on private management companies to submit proposals to oversee course maintenance, events, and the pro shop.
