Golf in Las Vegas: A Season-by-Season Guide

The Las Vegas Valley is one of the driest places in the United States, with courses spread from the Strip to Summerlin, Henderson and the shores of Lake Las Vegas, plus a cluster of desert courses in Mesquite, about 80 miles northeast. Golf is possible every month of the year, but the season shapes everything from the best tee time to how far the ball flies. This guide walks through the year.

The Climate at a Glance

According to the National Weather Service's 1991–2020 climate normals for Harry Reid International Airport, the average high in Las Vegas is about 58°F in January and about 104°F in July, with only about 4 inches of rain a year. The valley floor sits at around 2,000 feet, and the western suburbs of Summerlin climb higher toward the Spring Mountains, where temperatures run a few degrees cooler.

Compared with Phoenix, Las Vegas is noticeably cooler in winter, which changes the shape of the golf year: the most comfortable months are spring and autumn rather than midwinter.

Winter (December to February): Cool, Calm and Quiet

Winter days are usually sunny and cool, with highs in the 50s and low 60s. That is comfortable golf weather for most visitors, but it comes with some caveats:

• Cold mornings: overnight lows in the valley often drop into the 30s and 40s, and frost can delay the first tee times.
• Short days: with sunset around 4:30 p.m. in December, a round that starts after late morning may not finish in daylight.
• Dormant turf: courses that do not overseed have brown, dormant Bermuda grass in winter. It plays perfectly well, often firm and fast, but looks very different from the photos.

Mesquite, lower in elevation and a short drive away, is a popular winter alternative.

Spring (March to May): Prime Time, With Wind

Spring is the most popular time for golf in Las Vegas, with highs climbing from the 70s in March to the 90s by late May, long days and green courses. It is also the windiest season of the year: strong afternoon winds, often gusting well over 30 mph, can sweep across the valley as weather systems pass through. On a windy day the same hole can play several clubs longer or shorter, and loose sand can blow out of bunkers.

A morning tee time is usually the calmest option. Our Las Vegas golf weather page shows the forecast wind for each tee time, so you can plan around the gusty afternoons.

Summer (June to September): Beat the Heat

Summer in Las Vegas is extremely hot and dry, with highs above 100°F almost every day from June through August. Rain is rare, though the late-summer monsoon can bring occasional thunderstorms, gusty winds and dust.

• Play at dawn: the first tee times of the day are the only comfortable ones. Many courses offer twilight rates too, but evening temperatures often remain above 100°F.
• Hydrate and ride: carry more water than you think you need, and take a cart.
• Lower prices: summer is the low season, with the best rates of the year.
• Longer carries: hot, thin air helps the ball fly. Our carry model estimates that a drive that carries 230 yards at sea level on a 70°F day would carry about 245 yards on a 104°F July day in Las Vegas, compared with about 236 yards on a typical January day.

Autumn (September to November): The Second Peak

As temperatures fall back into the 80s and 70s, autumn becomes a second peak season, with long, calm, sunny days that many golfers rate as the best of the year. It is also overseeding season: many Las Vegas courses plant ryegrass over their Bermuda fairways between September and November, closing for a period or restricting carts to paths while the new grass grows in. Check the course's overseeding dates before you book an autumn round.

Where to Play

• Las Vegas and the Strip: courses close to the resorts, including some reserved for hotel guests. See our Las Vegas page.
• Henderson and Lake Las Vegas: desert and lakeside courses southeast of the Strip. See our Henderson page.
• Summerlin: higher and slightly cooler, below the Red Rock Canyon cliffs. Note that several Summerlin courses are private; see our news article on Bear's Best Las Vegas becoming a private club.
• Mesquite and Boulder City: good-value options within an easy drive. See our Mesquite and Boulder City pages.

Getting Started

For Las Vegas golf, plan around two things: heat in summer and wind in spring. Autumn and spring offer the best overall conditions, winter the calmest ones, and summer the best prices for early risers. Before any round, check the forecast for your tee time on our Nevada golf weather pages, which show a playability score and a carry estimate for every tee time in the week ahead.

Photo: Reflection Bay Golf Club, near Las Vegas, Nevada, by Carol M. Highsmith, from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive at the Library of Congress (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons. Resized from the original.