September in Madison, WI: shoulder season for golf — playable with smart tee time selection. Best tee times: mid-morning through early afternoon.
| Average September Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 74°F |
| Avg daily low | 57°F |
| Rainy days | 11 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 11 mph |
September reshuffles the tee-sheet calculus in Madison. The summer crowds that pack courses through August begin to thin noticeably after Labor Day, yet the weather is arguably better: highs average 74°F, there are only 11 precipitation days (the third-driest month of the year), and peak winds hold at 11 mph — the third-calmest reading of the year. That combination of fewer players and cleaner conditions creates real opportunities for golfers who know when to book.
The catch is the 17°F daily swing between a 57°F low and a 74°F high. Morning rounds starting near 6 AM can feel brisk enough to affect your first few holes, while afternoon slots are fully comfortable. That spread means tee-time selection within the day matters almost as much as which day you pick. Midday windows, roughly 10 AM to 2 PM, consistently land in the ideal 60–80°F range and also dodge any early dew on greens.
With post-Labor Day demand dropping and only 11 precipitation days on average, you can often book weekend rounds three to four days out rather than the week-plus lead time August requires — but watch the morning lows: the 57°F average means an early 6 AM slot warrants a layer you won't need by the back nine. Midweek afternoon slots are the sweet spot for both availability and temperature. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
September drops 7°F off August's 81°F average high while cutting two precipitation days, making it a drier and slightly cooler window that most local golfers consider a fair trade. October arrives with another steep 14°F drop to a 60°F high and adds two more rainy days, pushing conditions firmly into the unpredictable range. Wind also ticks up — 10.2 mph in August to 11 mph in September to 12.6 mph in October — so September sits at the quietest point of that late-season trend.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Madison, WI for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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September is one of the more playable months Madison offers: average highs of 74°F sit squarely in the ideal range, and the 11 precipitation days make it the third-driest month of the year. Post-Labor Day crowds also thin out, which improves availability and pace of play on most area courses.
Average lows drop to 57°F, which means early morning rounds — especially before 8 AM — can feel noticeably cool. The daily swing of 17°F is the main thing to plan around: dress in layers for morning tee times, because by midday the temperature typically climbs to the low-to-mid 70s.