Hey Golf Nut, before marking my golf ball on the green where it had come to rest, I helped my golf partner look for his ball. While we were looking, the wind gusted and my ball moved slightly closer to the hole. Where should the golf ball be played from and do I incur any penalty?

Well let's address the bigger golf ball at rest moved question as a part of your answer. Rule 18-1 of the Rules Of Golf states "If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced." Now here is the definition of an outside agency: An “outside agency’’ is any agency not part of the match or, in stroke play, not part of the competitor’s side, and includes a referee, a marker, an observer and a forecaddie. Neither wind nor water is an outside agency. So a golf ball moved by the wind should not be replaced.

Now there are a lot of variations to when a ball is moved, such as the ball moving after the golfer has addressed it, the golf ball moved as part of measuring, etc. But in your case, it appears to be straight forward. Since wind is not an outside agency, and you were not addressing the ball, the ball is played where it ends up after being moved by the wind.

I have seen golfers think that they needed to move their golf ball back to where it was before the wind moved it. But if they move it back and play it from the spot where it was before the wind affected it, it is actually a two stroke penaly. Yes, TWO strokes golfers, so pay attention here.

Decision 18-2a/7 states that if a golfer replaces his golf ball moved by the wind he "incurred one penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a, and, before playing his next stroke, he should have replaced the ball on the spot where it came to rest after being moved by the wind. If he did not do so, he incurred a total penalty of two strokes"

Let's clarify. Rule 18-2a states that if a golfer moves his ball, except as permitted by the rules, he incurs a one stroke penalty. Now having moved his ball back when it was not moved by an outside agency, he incurs that penalty stroke. But if he doesn't correct the error, he is playing his next shot from the wrong place and incurs a penalty stroke under Rule 20-7a(ii).

It can be confusing, but a good question. I hope this clears it up for all of you golf nuts out there!