December in New Orleans, LA: shoulder season for golf — playable with smart tee time selection. Best tee times: mid-morning through early afternoon.
| Average December Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 65°F |
| Avg daily low | 53°F |
| Rainy days | 14 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 13 mph |
December in New Orleans has a reputation for cold, gray golf that keeps many visitors from booking a tee time — and that assumption tends to crumble once they check the actual numbers. The average high is 65°F, and the city logs only 14 precipitation days, tied for the second-fewest of any month in the year. The reality is that mornings start cool at 53°F, so that 12-degree daily swing matters. Bring a layer you can peel off by the back nine.
Wind is the bigger variable than rain. At 13 mph peak, December ranks as the 5th-windiest month in New Orleans, and an exposed layout like English Turn or City Park's Bayou Oaks will play noticeably longer into a north wind. Starting earlier in the day also makes sense given December's shorter daylight window, which limits how much cushion a late tee time leaves you.
Book a mid-morning tee time — around 9 to 10 AM — to let the 53°F low lift before you start and to preserve enough daylight for a full round given December's shorter days. Weekday availability is generally open in December, but the week between Christmas and New Year's draws leisure travelers, so reserve those slots at least two weeks out. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
December drops 5°F off November's 70°F average high, and precipitation days tick up by two, so the comfortable late-autumn window does narrow noticeably coming in. Compared to January, however, December holds a 4-degree warmth advantage and carries the same 14 precipitation days, meaning the two months are nearly identical in wetness but December is the milder choice. If you're deciding between a late-December and early-January trip, the calendar favors December on temperature alone.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for New Orleans, LA for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
← November in New Orleans, LA • January in New Orleans, LA →
December is a genuine shoulder-season option, not just a fallback. The average high sits at 65°F, which is close to the site's ideal range, and the city logs only 14 precipitation days — tied for second-fewest of any month. The main trade-off is a 13 mph peak wind and cool 53°F mornings that require an extra layer for the first few holes.
December averages 14 precipitation days, which sounds frequent but is actually tied for the second-lowest total of any month in New Orleans. That figure is also identical to January's count, so December is no wetter than what follows it. Checking the daily forecast before heading out remains the most reliable way to pick your window.