Welcome to the first Golf Course Spotlight, a monthly feature I am starting for anyone who loves to play. This month takes us to Bonita Springs and Saltleaf Golf Preserve, a public daily-fee course at 23001 Saltleaf Blvd, Bonita Springs, FL 34134 that reopened in November 2023 after a full redesign by Raymond Floyd. It plays 18 holes, par 72, with tee times, rates, and a 9-hole par-3 walking course that make it one of the more approachable places to play in Southwest Florida.
The Course
Saltleaf sits on roughly 150 acres beside a 144-acre uplands preserve, and the routing was shaped around what was already there. The signature change from the old Raptor Bay layout: there are no formal bunkers. Instead, naturally exposed sandy waste areas frame the fairways and greens, which gives the course a coastal, links-like look and keeps play moving, since you are rarely in a deep pot bunker. Greens are TifEagle Bermuda, fairways are Bimini Bermuda, and the course was engineered with elevation, so greens sit up and water comes into play on a number of holes. Wildlife is part of the setting: ospreys, hawks, and deer are regulars on the round.
Course Highlights
The 2nd hole, a par 3, is the one players remember, and conditions have held up well since the course was reworked. GolfPass reviewers give The Preserve about 4.7 out of 5 for course conditions, with roughly 91 percent recommending it, and 18birdies users average 4.6 out of 5. The short course, called The Leaf, is a separate 9-hole, par-3 walking layout that scores even higher with GolfPass reviewers at 4.8 out of 5. It is a good way to play a quick nine with a rental set or to introduce someone to the game without a full round. GPS carts, a practice area with range balls included in the fee, and a clubhouse restaurant and bar round out the visit.
Difficulty
From the longest tees, The Preserve plays 7,075 yards with a course rating of 72.8 and a slope of 126. By Southwest Florida standards that is a fair but firm test: the length is manageable from the right tees, and the real challenge comes from water on many holes, exposed sandy waste areas, and greens that putt fast. If you are new to the course or to the game, move up a tee box and enjoy the scenery. Nobody wins a prize for playing the tips your first time out.
Green Fees
Saltleaf does not publish one fixed rate. Pricing changes by day and by season, and the club posts live rates on its tee time page. Recent prepaid tee times for The Preserve have been listed from roughly $66 to $125 per player on booking sites, with The Leaf around $25, and peak winter season runs higher. Late October sits between the summer shoulder and the winter high season, so this is close to the most affordable time of the year to play. The fee includes the cart and pre-round range balls, and rates are subject to 6.5 percent sales tax.
Current Tee Time Deals
The club typically prices Monday through Thursday and twilight rounds lower than weekend mornings, and prepaid deals on booking sites have been running well under the walk-up rate. As of this writing, prepaid offers for The Preserve have appeared from the mid-$60s, and The Leaf from about $25. The smart play: compare the club's live tee time page with prepaid offers before you book, since the deals shift week to week.
Book Tee Times
Tee times are booked online at saltleafgolf.com/tee-times, or by calling the club at (239) 390-4600. Third-party sites like GolfNow and GolfLink also carry prepaid Saltleaf times. Reservations are secured with a credit card, so plan on at least 48 hours notice to cancel without a charge.
Book a Round at Saltleaf
Check live rates and reserve your tee time directly on the club's site, or call (239) 390-4600.
Bonita Springs and the Golf Lifestyle
Bonita Springs is home to many private golf communities, which makes a public course like Saltleaf valuable: it gives residents, visitors, and buyers a way to play on a championship layout without a membership. It is also the kind of place that shows up in the conversation when people are choosing where to live. If you are weighing neighborhoods, this Bonita Springs area guide covers the communities, and this guide to buying a home in Bonita Springs walks through the practical side of the market. For the bigger picture on living on or near a course, my guide to golf course communities in Naples is a good next read.
A note on the series: this is the first Golf Course Spotlight, and I will feature a different public or semi-private course in Southwest Florida each month through golf season. If you have a favorite course you would like me to cover, let me know.
The Source
I only feature courses I can confirm from a live source. The details above come from the course's official site at saltleafgolf.com and its tee time page, with course details and current reviews from Troon, GolfPass, and 18birdies. Rates and deals change week to week, so check the live tee time page before you book.
A note on fair housing: every home and community in Southwest Florida is open to all qualified buyers and renters, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. The same spirit applies at this month's featured course: the tee sheet is open to everyone who books, and regulars and first-timers are equally welcome. If you are exploring a move here, I am glad to help you find the place that fits you, whatever your story.
Thinking About a Move to Southwest Florida? Start With a Conversation.
Contact Catalina Quintero at (239) 206-6909 or visit catalinaquintero.com/contact/ to schedule a consultation.