December in Albany, NY: cool / cold season for golf — expect distance loss and stiff muscles. Best tee times: midday when temperatures are warmest.
| Average December Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 40°F |
| Avg daily low | 27°F |
| Rainy days | 15 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 10.4 mph |
Tee-sheet strategy shifts dramatically in December. Albany courses that stay open — typically those with cart-path-only policies lifted to a first-come, first-served walk-only basis — often drop advance booking windows to 24–48 hours because conditions can change overnight. A hard frost at 27°F lows can render fairways unplayable by morning even when the 40°F afternoon high looks acceptable on paper. Smart golfers watch the overnight low, not the afternoon forecast, and book accordingly.
With 15 precipitation days across the month and a 13°F daily temperature swing, the window for a playable round is narrow but real. Afternoons between noon and 3 PM offer the best combination of thawed turf and remaining daylight. Wind averages 10.4 mph — manageable for December — so wind is rarely the deciding factor. The bigger obstacle is simply finding a course still operating; call ahead every time.
Because overnight lows regularly hit 27°F, book a tee time no earlier than noon and confirm the course is open the morning of your round — frost delays or closures are common even when the afternoon looks playable. The 24–48 hour booking window most December-open courses use means holding a reservation more than two days out rarely helps. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
November plays 11°F warmer at an average high of 51°F and carries two fewer precipitation days, making it meaningfully more comfortable than December. January offers almost no improvement on precipitation — both months log 15 precip days — while dropping another 4°F to a 36°F average high and a 21°F overnight low. December sits in an uncomfortable middle: colder than November but not appreciably drier or calmer than January.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Albany, NY for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
← November in Albany, NY • January in Albany, NY →
A small number of public courses in the Albany area stay open through December on a weather-permitting basis, typically closing only when snow accumulates or frost makes turf conditions unsafe. Call the specific course the morning you plan to play, since a 27°F overnight low can trigger an unannounced closure or delay. Green fees often drop in December, but services like clubhouse food and rental equipment may be limited.
Aim for a noon to 3 PM tee time, which gives overnight frost time to thaw under the 40°F afternoon high and still leaves two to three hours of usable daylight before dusk shortens play. Morning rounds before 10 AM carry a real risk of frost-hardened fairways that most courses will not allow carts or even walking on. The 10.4 mph average wind is unlikely to be a major issue if you time the round for that midday window.