May in Knoxville, TN: variable for golf — mixed conditions — check the live score. Best tee times: mid-morning through early afternoon.
| Average May Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 78°F |
| Avg daily low | 58°F |
| Rainy days | 16 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 9.2 mph |
A 78°F average high sitting right at the ceiling of the ideal 60–80°F window means morning rounds in Knoxville feel genuinely comfortable, while afternoon tee times arrive at the boundary where heat starts competing with your focus rather than helping it. The 20°F daily swing (low of 58°F, high of 78°F) means a soft, damp morning fairway can firm up noticeably by the back nine, affecting how much run-out you get on drives.
The 16 precipitation days make May the 3rd-wettest month of the year in Knoxville. That doesn't mean 16 full washouts — many are afternoon events tied to daytime heating that peaks around the 78°F high — but it does mean wet rough and slower greens are the default, not the exception. The 9.2 mph peak wind is manageable, sitting just above the calm threshold, but it's enough on an exposed par-3 to move a mid-iron off its intended line if you don't account for it.
Book early morning tee times — the 58°F low means conditions are near-ideal at 7–8 AM, before the afternoon high reaches 78°F and before the afternoon precipitation events that account for many of those 16 rainy days arrive. Mid-afternoon slots carry the highest combined risk of heat at the upper ideal-range boundary and short-notice rain delays, so they're worth avoiding on a tight schedule. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
April to May brings a 9°F jump in the average high and two more precipitation days, so you trade some of April's crisper, drier-feeling conditions for warmer but wetter rounds. June adds another 7°F on top of that, pushing the average high to 85°F and adding one more rainy day, which makes May the more temperate of the two warmer months. Wind actually eases as you move through spring — May's 9.2 mph peak drops from April's 10.5 mph, and June settles another 0.7 mph lower.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Knoxville, TN for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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May sits in the Variable season tier — conditions can be genuinely good but require some planning. The 78°F average high is comfortable, especially in the morning, but 16 precipitation days make it the 3rd-wettest month of the year, so expect at least some rounds affected by soft turf or brief delays.
Climate normals show 16 days with measurable precipitation in May, which ranks it as the 3rd-wettest month of the year in Knoxville. Most events are short afternoon showers rather than all-day rain, but course conditions — particularly greens speed and rough height — will reflect the accumulated moisture throughout the month.