Preferred lies (also known as “lift, clean, and place”): A local, temporary rule that allows balls on the fairways or other closely mown areas to be lifted, cleaned and placed in a pre-determined distance from the original position, usually 6-inches or one golf club length. The rule can temporarily override Rule 9.4b: On deliberately touching and moving the ball, a golfer can incur a two-stroke penalty. Officials implement this rule when course conditions are poor, such as after heavy rain, which makes some areas muddy or unplayable.

To lift, clean, and place; or not—that’s the burning question for the PGA Tour. While the rule is activated to allow fair play or help protect some or all fairways, it is not exactly liked by the fans. In mid-February, during the Genesis Invitational, offi

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