The Advertiser, with help from Ko Olina director of golf Greg Nichols, is offering this question-and-answer feature on the rules of golf. If you have a question regarding the rules of golf e-mail cmurayama@honoluluadvertiser.com. Nichols recommends readers go to Play GolfAmerica.com for information on golf programs in their area. For additional rules information, ask your local Aloha Section PGA professional or go online to www.USGA.org.

In Hawai'i, we often play in windy weather, and we all know a strong breeze can have a big effect on the flight of the ball.

In a 40 mph left-to-right wind for instance, a slight fade for a right-handed player can turn into a huge banana slice.

It's certainly hard to fight the wind and the old golf adage is to learn to make the wind your friend. That means learning to purposely fade or draw your ball at will so that in the case of the left-to-right wind for a right-handed player, you can choose to fade your ball and ride the wind, thereby gaining more distance, or draw your ball into the wind to lessen the curving impact of the wind and thereby gain more control.

What happens though if the wind causes your ball at rest to move?

Let's say your ball was at rest on the putting green a foot from the hole. A strong wind then blows your ball 30 feet away from the hole. The correct way to proceed under the rules is to then hole out from that spot 30 feet from the hole.

It seems unfair, but remember your parents told you that life (and golf) was not meant to always be fair. Of course, you need to be philosophical about your fate and realize that next time, the wind may very well blow your ball closer to the hole.

In stroke play, in the above example, if a player mistakenly replaces their ball at the original spot a foot from the hole, the player would incur a penalty shot and would need to move the ball back to 30 feet before playing the next stroke. If the player did not do so and actually holed out, then the penalty would be two strokes.

It really helps to know the rules and to always try to make the wind your friend. On the putting green, especially in the wind, remember Chi Chi Rodriguez's advice when he was asked how to putt. He replied, "Keep it low"!