December in Kiawah Island, SC: 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 | 61°F |
| Avg daily low | 47°F |
| Rainy days | 11 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 11.4 mph |
The defining variable for golf in Kiawah Island in December is temperature — specifically, how close the average high of 61F sits to the lower edge of the ideal playing range. On a calm, sunny afternoon you're right at that threshold and the round feels comfortable. But the daily swing is 14 degrees, so a morning tee time starting near the 47F low can feel meaningfully colder than the numbers suggest. Layering strategy matters more here than in any other month on the island.
The silver lining is that December is the second-driest month of the year at 11 precip days, and wind sits at a moderate 11.4 mph — fifth-calmest of any month. You're not dodging storms or fighting gusts off the Atlantic; you're managing a sweater-weather pace of play on courses that are far less crowded than peak season. For golfers who don't mind pulling on an extra layer, the tradeoffs are reasonable.
Book afternoon tee times — ideally after noon — to let the temperature climb toward the 61F high and avoid starting a round near the 47F morning low. December's lighter crowds mean afternoon slots stay available closer to the date, so you don't need to lock in weeks ahead the way you would in spring. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
December loses 7 degrees of average high compared to November, which is the sharpest single-month temperature drop in the shoulder season, but it does shed one precip day, making it marginally drier. Heading into January, the drop is a more modest 2 degrees, yet January adds two more precip days and wind climbs another 0.9 mph. That makes December the quietest and most playable of the three winter-adjacent months even if it's not the warmest.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Kiawah Island, SC for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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Conditions are workable but demand respect. The average high of 61F is right at the comfortable threshold, and the Ocean Course's exposed layout means the 11.4 mph average wind feels amplified along the beachside holes. Book afternoon times, pack layers, and expect firm, fast turf that can actually flatter ball-strikers.
December averages 11 precip days, making it the second-driest month of the year on the island. That doesn't mean every round is rain-free, but the odds of a full washout are lower than almost any other month. Check short-range forecasts and you'll typically have enough dry windows to play your scheduled rounds.