Nice, its update day! xD
Apart from this, think about it. What you say is essentially, like this:
Progress > Find Cut tree > Find Cut tm > continue
or
Progress > Find Cut TM > Find Cut tree > continue
sounds a bit too linear doesnt it? it would make not much different if the tree didnt exist and the hm was not needed at all.
How about u add some sort of choice in this? For example u reach a point where you are blocked by obstacles, like in one route there is a body of water, in another there is a cut tree and in another a strength stone. But if u choose any hm, the others will become unavailable until quite later. So thre will be some sort of choice, or dillema in the mix.
flash caves and the need for flash should burn somewhere in the deepest parts of hell or in other words, it not even an obstacle, and just creates annoyance