Ball outside hazard -- can you ground club in hazard?

-- ball just outside the hazard line

-- can you take practice swings and/or ground your club inside the hazard line?

Yes you can, the key is where the ball is.

It is a penalty to damage, bend, break or otherwise purposely alter any part of the course; except while taking a swing with the intention of striking the ball.  It is also a penalty to improve your stance by altering the surface area.  And it is a penalty to use any other ball or object for the purpose of a practice shot while playing through the green.  So if your stance places you in a hazard, proceed with care.  If you scrub your feet back and forth vigorously so as to smooth out or settle into a firmer position, it is a penalty.  If loose debris impedes your stance, you may gently lift and move that debris.  If you take your club and whack an object out of the way, two strokes---1 for purposely altering the course, 1 for using a practice object while playing through the green.

If there are movable objects in the way of your stance you can move them.  If you gently ground your club in the hazard before you address the ball, that is fine.  if you take a practice swing in the hazard and anything moves, bends or breaks (even a leaf or a blade of grass) it's a penalty.  You should always take a practice swing away from the ball and not toward the pin, and take care to not needlessly damage the course (take a divot, swing through the rough, etc.)---or take a stroke.  If, while taking a practice swing you accidentally break a rule (i.e. you slip and strike a pine cone or gouge a divot), as long as you did not strike your ball in play and repair the damage as best you are able, there is no penalty.

What a load of cobblers.

100% bull.