"Positive reinforcement is the ideal but when you've got an adult large-breed dog that has never walked on a lead before and is intent on nailing every dog and/or person that comes their way, if a choke chain allows their handler to retain some semblance of control until training takes effect, so be it."
I had one of those (GSD, never been trained, deemed 'uncontrollable' by previous owner's vet and behaviourist - clearly a rubbish behaviourist but that's another story!). Before she was trained to walk beautifully to heel both on and off-lead, it was my responsibility to look out for hazards coming up (i.e. another dog) and take evasive action. She was walked close on a short lead and when she pulled, we simply circled left. I was 8st when we got her, so hardly butch, but perfectly capable of holding her even if she was to lunge. She soon learned that pulling achieved nothing and learned to walk in position, which she was rewarded for with praise and intermittent treats in the early days.
She has a half-check collar (for convenience as she doesn't wear one in the house so it's quick to use), set so that at its tightest it is like a normal collar and can NEVER choke her if she were to pull.
It seems to me that a good trainer would never use pain or aversives. There is a huge amount of evidence of the cervical damage that choke chains do, and I fail to understand why an owner would use such a cruel and unnecessary 'tool' when positive, kind methods do work - even on big, unruly dogs.