Bonita Springs, Fla. – Saltleaf Golf Preserve, a public/daily-fee club in Bonita Springs, Fla. recently welcomed David Kent, PGA as the property’s new general manager. Kent will oversee all elements of Saltleaf Golf Preserve, including golf operations, agronomy, food and beverage, and sales/marketing.
Kent has 23-plus years of golf and club industry experience in Southwest Florida. After competing as a touring professional from 1998 through 2002, he segued into the golf and country club space. He served as a golf professional for the first 10 years of his club career before moving into general manager positions for the last 13 years.
“I enjoy all facets of club operations and am enthusiastic about delivering exceptional experiences for the team and all who visit Saltleaf Golf Preserve,” said Kent. “I am eager to collaborate, develop and elevate the experience at Saltleaf to become a beacon of excellence in Southwest Florida. I embrace the opportunity to lead the club and team into the future with the highest levels of hospitality, moral character, integrity and professionalism.”
Kent was born and raised in Fair Haven, New Jersey and attended Seton Hall University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. While at Seton Hall, he was a member of the 1992 BIG EAST Conference Men’s Golf Championship Team. Kent resides in nearby Estero, Fla. with his wife, Ashleigh, and two children, Noah and Cameryn. Noah, a junior at the University of Florida, was runner-up at the 2024 U.S. Amateur Golf Championship, earning invitations to play in the 2025 Masters and 2025 U.S. Open. Cameryn is a freshman at Florida State University.
Saltleaf Golf Preserve reopened in November of 2023 following an extensive 17-month renovation led by four-time Major-champion Raymond Floyd and property owner London Bay Development Group. Working again with architect Harry Bowers, Floyd reimagined a completely new golf course built on the site of the former Raptor Bay golf course, which Floyd and Bowers designed 24 years ago. The new course, named The Preserve, is longer and more challenging, expanding from a 6,400-yard, par-71 layout to a robust 7,075-yard, par-72 championship course. The Preserve embraces Florida’s natural habitat with 22 acres of lakes and no formal bunkers — only large sandy waste areas. Additional golf offerings include a nine-hole, par-3 course known as The Leaf, a 40,000-square-foot practice facility, a Café conveniently located next to the practice area and a 12,500-square-foot clubhouse that features the Saltleaf Bar & Grill and a well-appointed golf shop.
Saltleaf Golf Preserve’s makeover is a key part of London Bay’s development of the master-planned community, as the team is currently constructing two 22-story towers — The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay — as well as Saltleaf Marina.
Saltleaf Golf Preserve is managed by Troon Golf. For tee times and more information on Saltleaf Golf Preserve, visit www.saltleafgolf.com or call (239) 390-4600.
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 950-plus locations in 45-plus states and 40-plus countries, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy & Design and RF DesignStudio, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
Media Contact:
Rob Myers
Troon
480.477.0506