I know some instructors are quite hot on the use of the 'going in to land' lever.
It is important to be sure that you can actually reach the airfield before using the brakes. It is easy to use them without thinking, then get caught in serious downdrafts and end up short of the airfield. I still have bits of a Skylark 4 whose pilot made that mistake.
But if you are sure, use the brakes