Rule 17 states:

"When the flagstick is in the hole and a player's ball when not holed rests against it, the olayer or another person authorised by him may move or remove the flagstick and if the ball falls into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his last stroke; otherwise, the ball, if moved, must be placed on the lip of the hole, without penalty. "


There is no rule stating how the ball should be removed from the hole.