When the golfers have reached the green and are putting a caddie or golfer will hold the flagstick so that the golfer who is putting can aim for it and then when the ball gets close take the flagstick out of the cup. If your ball is off the green but you are shooting at the hole you can choose to leave the flagstick in, that way if the ball is going fast it might hit the pin and go in or if it bounces off the pin not go very far away from the hole. Golfing strategy.