Allowed to clear line on green if ball is off the green?

You can remove loose impediments or movable obstructions regardless of whether your ball lies on the green or not.  Sand is only a loose impediment on the green.  Sand and dirt are not loose impediments on the fringe or elsewhere.  You may only repair pitch marks if the pitch mark is on the green (unless the pitch mark was made by another ball after your ball was at rest), but your ball does not have to lie on the green to allow this.

Probably one of the most violated rules I see. Sweeping bunker sand away, when it's on the fringe....

Certainly one of the more violated where golfers don't realize they are breaking the rule.  Correct NPR is up there also.

The most broken rule is probably failing to hole out......gimmies.

Soil and sand (in particular on links courses) is so common,it would be impracticable to treat it as a loose impediment that may be removed. Players would spend more time clearing it than playing.

Not to hijack a thread but it is related. My ball is on the fringe and I plan to use my putter. In my line, on the fringe, is some sand, a pebble and an acorn. On the green, in my intended line, I have a ball mark and what is most likely a spike mark.

What housekeeping can I do?

Never knew about the fringe rule, love learning those things.

One at a time:

a) ball is on the fringe and I plan to use my putter.

Rules don't care what club you might want to use

b) In my line, on the fringe, is some sand, a pebble and an acorn.

On the fringe - cannot move the sand, may move the pebble and the acorn which are loose impediments

c) On the green, in my intended line, I have a ball mark and what is most likely a spike mark

On the putting green - may repair the ball mark, may not repair the spike mark

So if my ball is on the fringe I can also repair the spike mark?

Not if it's on your line of play.  Note that I did not say "line of putt", because until your ball lies on the green, you don't have a line of putt.

Just as a related side note, another frequently misunderstood rule:

The prohibition about touching your line of putt does not exist when your ball does not lie on the green.  You, your caddy or your partner can go up on the green and touch your line of play to indicate where to play. In doing so, they must be careful not to improve your line of play and must not do anything that would leave a mark or otherwise indicate where you're supposed to play.  It's only when your ball is actually on the putting green that the prohibition of touching your line of putt comes into effect.

the rule in french says "on the green..... your may or cannot etc". people dont read with comprehension of words enough. they think of verba form more than meaning. a shame. anyway.

on the green does not mean ball on the green. event the rules says farther "even if the ball is off the green" ( this is intended for idiots).

so if your ball is off the green you may still repair pitch marks etc. move dirt and sand etc that are on the green.

so simple.

But you can repair the spike mark after you played. but you won't. You already played the hole and because you had to put up with it, the next poor shmuck should. Right?

no the rule mentions your line of putt, and of course you should repair spike marks and fresh pitches.

personally i repairs divots on my walking line and more and when I'm waiting for players (many divots are not replaced and one that are of after not compressed as soon as a mower goes by the divot flys off).

you can actually repair spike marks that are not on your line. then you ca repair marks on you line after having putted that line.

you see pro player do this all the time hitting everywhere with the putter.

I repair about 3-4 pitches per green. many are not repaired right in france the word in france is "relever le pitch". this is literally "lift your pitch mark". So some big fools understand that they should lift the turf instead of closing it by the sides (this rips roots out and the repair finishes like a dead piece of brown dense dirt inapt for any grass to grow for at least 4-6 weeks).

I often who's very low HCP player how to close the pitch from the side. ou dont see anything after the green is like new.