Actually you can be very lucky to see the sea from many of our old links. The old linksland was very often not beside the beach but between the dunes and agricultural land. Richard Goodale once corrected me pointing out that you cannot actually see the sea from TOC (you can see the Eden Estuary, of course). R Lytham is landlocked, there's a minimal view of the sea from R Birkdale up around the 12th green. I don't think (but don't quote me) that you can see the sea from Southport and Ainsdale. You certainly cannot see it from Prestatyn. I think you have to look at exactly the right moment to see the sea at Harlech, and it's not a prominent feature of Aberdovey. Very often courses have to be protected by a high sea wall. Indeed some of the best sea views are from courses that are not links, such as Maesdu which has a stunning view along the north coast of Wales and the mountains of Snowdonia from its elevated, slightly inland position.
Erosion is a threat at some courses and has caused big problems at Sheringham and Royal West Norfolk, and will continue to do so I presume as there are strong, destructive currents running along the East Anglian coast. Think of the villages and churches that have disappeared. Erosion threatened Ballybunion and they seem to have thrived on it! Formby, comes to mind.
I don't suppose there will be many more minor courses built by the sea in the UK - Bude or Rhyl, for instance, are examples from another century. Any that are built are likely to be part of a big development, such as Trump Scotland or Castle Stuart. In which case, the architect will likely be all out to maximise the visual impact of the project. I expect that any new developments will make great play on infinity greens and grand seascapes. But I will at some point post a few pictures of the sea holes at Hartlepool. It's an old club (100+ years) and has had a very complicated history in terms of the land that it has occupied, but it has a couple of holes which are the sort of thing that would make the glossy magazines if the rest of the course were not so girt about by industry and a railway embankment. I think you could also take some spectacular seaside golf photos at Thurlestone in Devon. Some holes are spectacularly situated. Unfortunately it's not a great golf course. Good fun, though!