December in Chattanooga, TN: shoulder season for golf — playable with smart tee time selection. Best tee times: late morning to early afternoon after dew burns off.
| Average December Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 54°F |
| Avg daily low | 38°F |
| Rainy days | 13 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 8.9 mph |
In December, the one variable that defines golf in Chattanooga is the daily temperature swing. With a high of 54°F and a low of 38°F, you're working with a 16-degree spread that demands real planning before you leave the house. December is the second-coldest month of the year here by average high, which means tee off too early and fingers won't cooperate; wait until midday and you can pick up a decent window of playable conditions.
The wind stays relatively manageable at 8.9 mph on average, which at least won't compound the cold. What will test you is the 13 days of precipitation spread across the month — roughly every other day sees some form of moisture. Rounds are possible but they require timing and the right gear.
Book midday tee times — late morning through early afternoon — to maximize the window when temperatures are closest to the 54°F high. With morning lows near 38°F, early starts carry real risk of stiff hands and slow greens. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
November offers noticeably better conditions, with an average high 8°F warmer at 62°F and three fewer precipitation days, making it the cleaner choice for fall golf. December and January actually share the same 13 precipitation days, but January drops another 4°F in the average high to 50°F, with the low falling to 33°F — flirting with frost. That makes December the more playable of the two cold months: the average high is 4°F warmer, the low is 5°F warmer at 38°F versus 33°F, and the precip load is identical.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Chattanooga, TN for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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It's workable but not the strongest month on the calendar. The average high sits at 54°F — the second-coldest of the year — and you'll encounter precipitation on about 13 days, so conditions require planning. The 54°F midday high keeps conditions playable if you avoid the 38°F morning low and watch the 13 precip days carefully.
Morning lows average 38°F, which means early tee times will feel genuinely cold and greens may be slow or slightly firm. By midday, temperatures climb toward the 54°F average high, which is the most comfortable part of the day to play. Wind averages 8.9 mph, which won't make things dramatically worse but adds a chill factor at that temperature range.