Centaurus
"by the very nature of the extra speed…means that there is no such animal as a precautionary landing in terms of the actual handling technique."
The same could be said for the short field landing. On every approach (transport operations) I calculate landing weight and determine Vref or Approach Speed, fly a three degree glide path, touch down on the thousand foot markers and stop the aircraft. Any excess runway used is in the roll-out simply minimises brake wear. Ignoring the stopping distance I am flying a short field approach because the book does not give information for a long field approach.
However in teaching STOL I would emphasise, in addition to the above, the need for maximum braking. Any other techniques instructed are simply airmanship to help the student achieve an accurate speed and flight-path - a stabilised approach.
P-search is just as much about field selection as flying the approach and landing. In some instances other considerations may take precedence. I once recall completing a P-search during a SAR operation that required a soft field technique; a long clay runway, partially submerged and very slippery. Other off-field landings have involved rough ground, long grass, sand and tricky approaches. But although the strips were often short I have never been faced with running out of distance! Probably lucky you say or perhaps early training in P-search led to better management.