Sure, there are plenty of treeless faux links which have their place. However, when I think of links style my mind runs to Kiawah. Its near the sea and in places looks like a links, but the grasses give it away as an imposter. That said, the type of grasses may be a turnoff, but the golfer's job is to adjust. I struggle to adjust when presented with fast looking courses which play slow, but thats my problem, not that of the course. That said, its a great course and a prime example of why labels can be pointless. Getting back to the grasses, sure, that is what can be grown, but I think golfers like the way the ball sits up (in the fairway anyway) on warm climate season grasses. Many golfers will love the run of links, but hate the tight lies. The tight lies don't aid the golfer in getting the ball in the air and most think of low runners as bad shots. To me, watching a guy tack up fairways with controlled runners or low flying bullets is a skill to be admired, but it certainly doesn't look like tv golf. Still, I would rather play out my days on the right heathland course than links. That is unless clubs figure out they are making links way too difficult with narrow fairways and punishing rough, but I am not holding my breath.
Ciao