I understand the OP's dislike of leaving a checklist item "open", but think
of this a different way: It's good to be used to running through the full
checklist on final as well as downwind. That makes missing an important
item (ie. "gear" {8^) on a straight-in less likely.

More, it's not necessarily bad having to actually *think* about a checklist
(ie. deciding which GUMPS items to do now, and which to postpone). I
*think* (this is just an opinion) that this would make seeing green lights
when they're yellow a little less likely.

Finally, I want to add my voice to those that speak of friends and enemies
of aviation. We don't need to add to the latter, so we learn to "fly
friendly".

- Andrew