Leave the Flagstick in the Hole

[ocepek]

There are two basic rules of golf - Play the course as you find it and play the ball as it lies.

When you tee off on a hole the flagstick is in the hole so why must it be removed when playing a stroke from the putting green? Leave the flagstick in the hole unless the player wants to remove it. If a player is good enough to hit the flagstick why should he be penalized.
Messing with the flagstick also slows down play. Rules about tending the flagstick are complex and poorly understood and most could be eliminated. I would be in favor of leaving the flagstick in the hole all the time.