The Best Winter Golf Destinations in the US, Ranked by the Data
December–February golf weather · 1991–2024 ERA5 data · Updated 2026-05-31
When the rest of the country freezes, a handful of destinations turn into golf paradise. We scored 9 top US golf destinations on their December–February weather using a 0–100 golf playability index — feels-like temperature, dry days, wind and sun — to find where winter golf is genuinely best, not just marketed that way.
Winter Golf Ranking (Dec–Feb)
| # | Destination | Feels-like | Dry days | Winter score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orlando, FL | 70°F | 85% | 94 | Ideal |
| 2 | Scottsdale, AZ | 61°F | 91% | 93 | Ideal |
| 3 | Palm Beach, FL | 74°F | 87% | 93 | Ideal |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | 60°F | 86% | 92 | Ideal |
| 5 | Austin, TX | 59°F | 82% | 85 | Ideal |
| 6 | Kiawah Island, SC | 56°F | 79% | 80 | Great |
| 7 | Pebble Beach, CA | 53°F | 74% | 71 | Good |
| 8 | Pinehurst, NC | 48°F | 76% | 67 | Good |
| 9 | Bandon Dunes, OR | 46°F | 52% | 51 | Fair |
Winter score = average golf playability across December, January and February. Methodology.
The Top Winter Picks, in Detail
Orlando, FL
Central Florida's golf hub plays great in the dry winter and spring. Summer brings some of the most thunderstorm days in the country — a mornings-only proposition from June to September.
Scottsdale, AZ
The desert golf capital. November through April delivers blue-sky, low-70s perfection at peak-season rates; June through August trades comfort for 105°F heat and deep twilight discounts.
Palm Beach, FL
Classic South Florida winter golf: warm, breezy off the Atlantic and low on rain from December through April. Summer is a humid, storm-prone grind best played early.
San Diego, CA
America's most consistent golf climate. The coastal marine layer keeps summer mornings cool and grey, but it burns off to comfortable 70s by midday almost every month — there is no truly bad time to play, just a foggy June Gloom stretch.
Austin, TX
Hill Country golf with a long warm season. Spring and fall are ideal; summer routinely tops 100°F, and winter is mild with the occasional sharp cold front.
Kiawah Island, SC
Oceanfront barrier-island golf near Charleston. Spring and fall are prime; July and August trade comfort for heat, humidity and a stiff sea breeze.
Pebble Beach, CA
Mild Monterey Peninsula temperatures all year, but summer fog is the catch. September and October deliver the clearest, warmest and most reliable golf weather of the year — the locals’ not-so-secret window.
Pinehurst, NC
The Sandhills' sandy soil drains fast and the season runs long. April–May and especially October are the sweet spots; summer is hot but playable, winter cool but rarely frozen.
Bandon Dunes, OR
Bucket-list links golf at the mercy of the Pacific. A short but elite window — July through September is the driest, calmest stretch; winter is cold, wet and wind-blasted.
What the Data Shows
The desert wins winter. Scottsdale, Palm Springs/La Quinta, Tucson and Las Vegas combine warm afternoons, near-zero rain and abundant sun — the best winter golf weather in the country, which is exactly why peak-season rates spike December through April.
South Florida is the warm-and-humid alternative. Naples and Palm Beach stay warmer than the desert but carry more humidity and a slightly higher shower chance. If you want the warmest possible afternoons over the lowest rain risk, that's the trade-off to weigh.
Mind the mornings. Even in the best winter destinations, dawn can be 25–30°F colder than the afternoon high. A mid-morning tee time is the sweet spot — let the desert chill burn off, finish before the evening cool-down.
Skip the links and Sandhills in winter. Bandon Dunes and Pinehurst are spectacular in their seasons, but December–February is their weakest stretch — cold, wet and wind-exposed.