December in Naples, FL: shoulder season for golf — playable with smart tee time selection. Best tee times: mid-morning through early afternoon.
| Average December Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 76°F |
| Avg daily low | 60°F |
| Rainy days | 12 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 11.1 mph |
December in Naples has a reputation problem \ — in the best possible direction. Golfers who've heard 'shoulder season' brace for something marginal and arrive to find 76°F afternoon highs and peak winds of just 11.1 mph, the 4th-calmest month of the year. The surprise isn't the weather ceiling; it's the floor. With an average low of 60°F and a 16-degree daily swing, morning tee times can feel genuinely cool, especially when that breeze is in play. Pack accordingly, because the back nine at 8 AM plays differently than the back nine at noon.
The precipitation picture, though, mostly lives up to the optimistic expectations. December ties November as the 3rd-driest month of the year at 12 rainy days, and the shoulder-season badge reflects a month that's very playable but not quite peak. What catches visitors off guard isn't rain — it's the temperature floor. That 60°F average low is the boundary of what the site rates as ideal, so early starters may want a light layer they'd never thought to bring to Southwest Florida.
With the daily high-low swing at 16°F, booking a mid-morning start around 9–10 AM lets the air warm toward the mid-70s before you tee off and still keeps you off the course before peak afternoon winds build. December demand from seasonal residents ramps up fast, so booking at least two weeks out is advisable for weekend rounds at the more popular public-access courses. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
November runs 5°F warmer on average highs (81°F vs. 76°F) and carries slightly stronger peak wind at 11.7 mph, so December is actually the calmer — if cooler — option. January barely budges on temperature (75°F high, just 1°F below December) but brings 12.2 mph peak winds and one fewer rainy day, making it marginally windier and marginally drier. In short, December sits in the middle of a three-month stretch where temperature is the main variable changing, not rain.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Naples, FL for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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December is solidly playable, with an average high of 76°F and peak winds of just 11.1 mph — the 4th-calmest month of the year. The catch is that mornings can dip to an average low of 60°F, which surprises visitors expecting pure warmth, so early tee times call for an extra layer. Precipitation (12 rainy days) is tied for the 3rd-driest mark of the year, meaning weather disruptions are relatively rare.
Average lows hit 60°F in December, which is the coolest end of the ideal playing range and a real contrast to the 76°F afternoon highs. That 16-degree daily swing means the same round can feel quite different from the first hole to the last. A light jacket or vest handles it fine — heavy cold-weather gear is unnecessary, but leaving the hotel without anything warm is a common mistake for first-time December visitors.