May in San Francisco, CA: peak season for golf — great conditions and a wide playing window. Best tee times: late morning to early afternoon after dew burns off.
| Average May Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 63°F |
| Avg daily low | 52°F |
| Rainy days | 4 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 18 mph |
May shifts San Francisco's tee sheet into a different gear. Precipitation drops to just 4 days — tied for the city's third-driest month — so cancellations become rare, and weekend slots fill quickly once golfers realize the window is reliable. Highs sit at 63°F with lows around 52°F, which is comfortable for walking 18 but cool enough that a mid-morning tee time beats a 6 AM start. The catch is wind: May averages an 18 mph peak, the second-windiest month of the year. That means booking strategy should account for calm-window timing, not just availability.
The drier, milder stretch that starts in May draws a noticeable bump in demand at the area's public and municipal tracks. If you're targeting courses like Harding Park or Presidio, booking the maximum days out is worth the calendar reminder — particularly for Saturday and Sunday mornings. Midweek afternoon slots often stay open later in the week and can offer the same conditions at a fraction of the competition.
Because May is peak season with only 4 expected rain days, weekend morning tee times at SF's popular public courses routinely book out within hours of the booking window opening — set a reminder to reserve exactly as far in advance as each course allows. Midweek slots from late morning onward often dodge the strongest afternoon wind gusts and see far less booking competition. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
April carries 6 precipitation days versus May's 4, so the tee sheet predictably tightens as that two-day difference becomes obvious to local regulars. June trims rain days further to just 1 and pushes the high to 67°F, making it marginally warmer and drier — but peak wind actually edges up another 0.4 mph to 18.4 mph. May sits in a sweet spot: less wet than April, less windy than June, and already well into the city's most playable stretch.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for San Francisco, CA for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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May averages an 18 mph peak wind, which ranks as the second-windiest month of the year in San Francisco. At that speed, expect consistent ball-flight deviation on full shots and meaningful difficulty on lag putts across exposed greens. Courses on the western side of the city near the ocean feel it most acutely, so factor wind direction into club selection on virtually every approach.
Yes — May's combination of only 4 expected rain days and peak-season designation makes it one of the most in-demand booking months at courses like Harding Park and Presidio. Weekend morning slots can fill within minutes of the booking window opening. Midweek afternoons are the most practical fallback if prime weekend times are gone.