PGA Tour winner Michael Kim has revealed and supported a new local rule change from the US circuit that will see players move their ball within a scorecard length instead of a club-length when Preferred Lies are in operation.
Preferred Lies are one of the Modal Local Rules committees and tournament organizers can use, often following prolonged spells of rain when fairways tend to be muddy and/or wet.
The local rule states players are able to mark their ball, clean it and place it back either within one club-length, one scorecard length or 6 inches, as decided by the committee, as long as the ball is no nearer the hole. It also must be in the general area.
Kim revealed documentation of the rule change to his 220,000+ followers on X, with the PGA Tour believing the tweak "will provide fairer outcomes during competition." The tour also says the scorecard length is "used universally by other organizations."
Kim ended his year on the DP World Tour, winning the French Open and reaching the DP World Tour Championship, and cited how the European Tour's scorecard-length rule he experienced made things fairer, especially around the greens.
"Great new rule change to the pgatour lift clean and place rule," Kim wrote on X.
"Instead of a full club length relief, it’s only scorecard relief.
"Experienced it during DP world tour and thought it was much better. A full club length can really change the angle of a chip shot some times."
Great new rule change to the pgatour lift clean and place rule. Instead of a full club length relief, it’s only scorecard relief. Experienced it during DP world tour and thought it was much better. A full club length can really change the angle of a chip shot some times pic.twitter.com/cJveuldcI1January 6, 2026
The PGA Tour's explanation for new preferred lies change:
Preferred Lies Modification: Reduction to a Scorecard Length
- The relief area for placing a ball when using preferred lies has been reduced from a club-length to the length of a scorecard. This will be denoted by a green sticker on your scorecard.
- A scorecard length is used universally by other organizations and will provide fairer outcomes during competition as the ball will be placed from closer to its original spot.
- The TOUR philosophy when preferred lies is used does not change. It is used only in cases of extreme mud throughout the golf course, when relief from temporary water takes a player outside the fairway, or when poor fairway conditions are likely to negatively impact the competition.
- If a ball is placed outside of the scorecard length by mistake, it can be corrected without penalty before the next stroke is made.
