December in Manchester, NH: 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 | 26°F |
| Rainy days | 14 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 10.7 mph |
The defining variable for golf in Manchester, New Hampshire in December is precipitation frequency. With 14 rainy or snowy days on average, nearly half the month brings some form of precipitation — and at a high of 40F and a low of 26F, much of that falls as snow or sleet rather than rain. The 14F daily temperature swing compounds the challenge: a morning tee time near freezing can stay frozen all day if skies stay cloudy, and most area courses close outright or operate on severely limited schedules by mid-month.
Winds average a peak of 10.7 mph, which is not the primary concern — it's the cold and the near-constant precipitation that make playable days genuinely rare. If a clear, dry day does appear, treat it as an opportunity worth grabbing immediately, because the calendar says another wet day is probably one or two away.
Book the earliest available slot when a dry window appears — morning temperatures near 26F mean frost delays are common, but afternoon windows above 35F are your best chance at a playable round before daylight runs short in December. Check conditions the morning of your round, not the night before, given how quickly precipitation type can shift at these temperatures. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
December is a sharp step down from November, dropping 10F in average high temperature while adding five more precipitation days — that combination effectively ends the season for most golfers who were still playing in November. Compared to January, December is actually slightly milder, with a high 5F warmer and two more precipitation days, though the difference is small enough that course conditions in both months are broadly similar. November is the clear last realistic month to play regularly; December and January are functionally a single cold, wet block.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Manchester, NH for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
← November in Manchester, NH • January in Manchester, NH →
Most courses in the Manchester area either close for the season by late November or shift to weather-permitting, call-ahead-only policies in December. With 14 precipitation days and an average high of just 40F, consistent conditions are rare. Your best approach is to call ahead the morning you want to play rather than booking days in advance.
At an average high of 40F and a low of 26F, precipitation in December can fall as rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow depending on the day — and at 14 precipitation days on the month, it comes frequently. Snow accumulation can make courses unplayable for days at a stretch, not just the day it falls. Checking a detailed hourly forecast is more useful than a standard day forecast at these borderline temperatures.