If you're going to take harsh disciplinary measures (hitting, beating, whipping etc) you should at least make sure they serve the purpose of helping the kid learn in the long run. In other words, you should have sound judgment.
My dad would always give me crap for the stupidest, pettiest stuff, that to this day I fully disagree with.
I don't think most people need to use this type if discipline too often, whether because the kid doesn't need it, or because they themselves scarcely have better judgment than their kid.