You're Correct!

Release in your golf swing refers to an action in your wrists on your down swing. As you swing the golf club back away from the golf ball on your back swing, you set your wrists and create an angle between your left arm and the shaft of the golf club, for right handed golfers. On your down swing, release happens when you release this angle, or when you allow the club and your left arm to create a straight line.

The release of this angle from your wrists puts speed into the club head and if you have a late release this means you are releasing the angle of your left arm and the golf club late during your down swing, so towards the end of your down swing as you create your impact position.

Ideally, you want to create the straight line of your left arm and the golf club as you strike through the golf ball, as this puts speed into the club head as you strike the golf ball and if the club head is travelling at is fastest through the golf ball, you will hit your furthest golf shots. If you do not release late, you will put speed in the club head before the club head reaches the golf ball, and therefore, the club head will then be decelerating as it strikes the ball and you will not hit as far as you potentially are capable of.

Achieving a late release in your down swing is crucial to achieving maximum distance. It is also crucial to achieving consistency in your striking of the ball with the club head as well. When you create the straight line between the club and your left arm, the club head is at its maximum length away from you. You want to achieve this position as you strike the golf ball, as this will allow the club head to strike downwards, connecting with the golf ball and then the ground.

However, if you release early, the club head is likely to either strike the ground first, resulting in shorter golf shots and the club heads speed transfers to the turf rather than the golf ball. Or if the club head does not strike the ground but swings just above it, then you will strike the golf ball on your up swing and hit the upper part of the golf ball, producing a low flying, short golf shot.

Achieving a late release in your golf swing is absolutely crucial if you want to have a consistent strike and maximum shot distance. Late release achieves this as the club head will reach maximum speed as it strikes the golf ball to produce shot length and you will also achieve maximum distance away from your left shoulder with the club head as it strikes the golf ball, resulting in the ball being struck from the centre of the club face.

Using your wrists at the beginning of your down swing will actually result in an early release and you achieving maximum club head speed before the club head has reached the golf ball. Late release requires you to use your wrists at the very last second before you strike the golf ball.

Late release has no reference to your back swing. It concerns your down swing and the hitting action that you should achieve with your wrists through impact.