December in Sioux Falls, SD: 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 | 34°F |
| Avg daily low | 18°F |
| Rainy days | 8 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 14.4 mph |
Most golfers assume December in Sioux Falls means zero golf — locked-up courses, buried greens, and temperatures no sane person would play in. The reality is more nuanced. Yes, the average high is only 34°F and the low drops to 18°F, so you're firmly in cold-weather territory. But December is actually tied for the 3rd-driest month of the year at just 8 precipitation days, meaning more dry windows exist than most people expect. Wind, often the real round-killer on the plains, clocks in at 14.4 mph peak — the 5th-calmest month of the year.
The surprise isn't that December is comfortable; it's that it's occasionally playable. On a calm, dry afternoon when the high nudges toward 34°F and the sun is out, bundled-up regulars do get rounds in. Course availability is the bigger obstacle — many local tracks close for the season — but if you find an open layout and catch a benign day, the precipitation and wind data are more cooperative than December's reputation suggests.
Watch the forecast closely for back-to-back dry days: the first day after a precip event often leaves frost or soft ground that makes even an open course unplayable, but the second dry day can firm things up enough for a round. Book as early in the day as possible so you're teeing off when temperatures are climbing toward the 34°F high rather than sitting near the 18°F overnight low. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
November is meaningfully warmer, averaging a 47°F high versus December's 34°F — a 13-degree drop that largely explains why November sees more late-season play. Moving the other direction, January gets colder still, with the high falling another 8°F to just 26°F, making December actually a brief middle ground between an occasionally playable late fall and a month that most golfers skip entirely. Precipitation days tick up by two from November into December, then ease back down by one heading into January.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Sioux Falls, SD for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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A handful of area courses stay open on a weather-permitting basis through December, but closures are common and conditions are far from guaranteed. With an average high of only 34°F and 8 precipitation days, many rounds come down to whether a dry, relatively calm window lines up with a course that hasn't yet shut down for the season. Always call the pro shop directly rather than relying on posted hours.
The average overnight low hits 18°F, so early-morning rounds in December are genuinely frigid — plan to tee off mid-morning at the earliest and aim for the warmest part of the day near the 34°F average high. Wind is a factor even at 14.4 mph peak, which feels sharp at these temperatures despite being the 5th-calmest month of the year in Sioux Falls. Dressing in removable layers and staying out of the shade helps more than most golfers anticipate.