Variations in soft field landings

Maxwell wrote:
I was taught to lift the flaps immediately upon touch down on soft field
landings. My instructors stated getting more weight on the brakes as soon as
possible, would facilitate a quicker stop than leaving the flaps down for
drag, and loosing some braking power to the extra lift.

However, during my last BFR, the instructor corrected me very sharply. He
insisted you get more drag from the flaps by leaving them down until you
slowed to taxi speed, than the benefit of more weight on the brakes.

What is the general consensus of the group? Flaps up or down, after
touchdown on a soft field landing?

First of all, have you checked your POH for clues?

Second, I think you have short and soft confused.

Soft fields slow the plane without brakes with surface drag. You don't
really want to STOP on a soft field, as you might even sink in. I was
taught to think ahead, so I didn't have to stop while taxiing on soft
conditions. I'd leave the flaps deployed while I concentrated on using
the elevator to keep the nose gear off the turf as much as possible,
which will also provide plenty of aero braking.

Short, paved fields are a different story. My Beech Sundowner has much
less braking ability with the flaps deployed, so I raise them as a
course of habit on pavement. The Piper PA-28 variations I've flown had
much better braking with the flaps out, raising the flaps didn't offer
anywhere near the braking improvement as with the Beech.