You're Correct!

The most powerful swingers of the golf club and longest drivers of the ball all use a powerful squat on the down swing to speed up and aid hip rotation through the impact area.

It is a misconception amongst amateurs of all levels when they give advice to a golf colleague that they shouldnt stand up as they hit their shot, or they are told to make sure they keep their head down because these pieces of advice, although the intent is good, only cause a player to become rigid.

The squatting action which helps initiate the down swing is an explosive action which gets the bodys centre of gravity lower to the ground to enable the player to push off and increase their club head speed.

For a great way to learn, watch Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in particular to really see how much dip they have into the ball. They will drop approximately four inches from the top of the back swing to try and increase club head speed for maximum distance.

A great way to practise this is to swing up to the top of your swing and hold the position, then press your body weight into your right foot as if you were squashing something and use this force to push towards your target.

When you video this, you will notice a drop in height but then you will regain it at impact as the left leg straightens during your hip rotation and weight transition. It is a complicated action and one that should be undertaken with care so that your swing path is not too disrupted but using a down swing squat can certainly help you hit the ball further.

The squatting of the hips at the top of the back swing will not necessarily alter the swing path but could have an adverse effect so be careful of this. Squatting during the down swing will create explosive power and will allow for longer drives.

If you execute the squat incorrectly, you will definitely catch the ball fat. The squat needs to work in conjunction with your hip rotation and weight distribution to the left side in order to gain the full benefits of the power that this movement offers.

There is nothing in the golf swing more powerful than the rotation of your hips. The build-up of tension created during the back swing and the initial pull from the bodys core to unwind the shoulder turn and create an elasticated effect will offer you maximum power. Arm speed will not give extra power.