Glider mode is there to be abused! It’s fun! :)
My top score is in the low 300s. I think the optimal strategy is still to learn all the level chunks and execute them if you can, and use Glider Mode mostly for accident recoveries.
That said, Glider Mode does give the player a lot of discretion to play in their own style. The more you use it, especially if you are skilled with it, the cooler the landings look, and you also get to explore hidden and obscure parts of the outer level geometry.