December in Memphis, 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 | 55°F |
| Avg daily low | 39°F |
| Rainy days | 13 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 11.5 mph |
December splits Memphis golfers into two distinct camps. The traveling golfer — someone flying in from Chicago, Minneapolis, or another northern market — often finds December here a legitimate upgrade: a 55°F average high beats staying home, and most public courses stay open and walkable. The local regular, though, knows this is Memphis at its least forgiving. With 13 precipitation days, it ranks as the 4th-wettest month of the year, and a 16°F daily swing means a morning round that starts at 39°F can feel like a different season by the back nine.
Wind adds another variable. Peak wind sits at 11.5 mph — moderate by site standards — which won't ruin a round but will cost you club selection decisions all day. Layers are non-negotiable, not optional.
Book a midday tee time — 10 or 11 AM — to let temperatures climb away from that 39°F morning low before you head out; by early afternoon you're most likely to hit the day's warmest window near that 55°F high. With 13 precipitation days spread across 31 days, checking a 48-hour forecast and holding a flexible cancellation policy matters more in December than in any other month except the wettest spring months. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
December is noticeably colder than November, with the average high dropping 7°F to 55°F and two more precipitation days added to the calendar. Compared to January, December is actually the milder choice — the high is 5°F warmer and you'll see one fewer rainy day on average. Wind creeps up slightly in both directions, from 10.7 mph in November through 11.5 mph in December to 12.1 mph in January, so December sits in the middle of a gradually windier stretch.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Memphis, TN for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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Most public and semi-private courses in Memphis stay open through December, though 13 average precipitation days mean you should call ahead or check online conditions before driving out. Cart restrictions are common after rain given the wet fairways this month tends to produce. Tee times are generally easy to get, especially on weekdays.
Morning tee times can start right around the 39°F average low, which feels colder once wind chill from the 11.5 mph peak wind is factored in. By early afternoon the high typically reaches 55°F, so the same day can span 16 degrees of temperature difference. Layering for the morning and peeling back by midday is the practical approach.