Golf in Yuma, Arizona: A Local Guide
Yuma holds the world record for sunshine and has some of the warmest winters in the United States. A guide to golf in Arizona's far southwest corner: the courses, the climate and the best times to play.
In the far southwest corner of Arizona, on the Colorado River close to both California and Mexico, Yuma is best known for two things: winter vegetables and sunshine. According to Guinness World Records, Yuma receives on average 91 percent of the possible hours of sunshine each year, the highest of any place on Earth. For golfers, that means an exceptionally reliable winter season, and a summer that is among the hottest in the country.
The Courses
Our database lists about ten courses in Yuma, a mix of municipal, community and resort courses:
- Desert Hills Golf Course, the city's municipal course, with a par-3 course alongside.
- Mesa del Sol Golf Club and Yuma Golf and Country Club, two established 18-hole courses.
- Las Barrancas Golf Club in the Foothills area east of the city, with an 18-hole course and shorter executive and par-3 courses.
- Several RV and golf resorts, such as Cocopah Bend and Westwind, which cater to winter visitors.
You can see the full list, with a playability forecast for each course, on our Yuma golf weather page, for example for Desert Hills and Mesa del Sol.
The Climate
The National Weather Service's 1991–2020 normals for Yuma's airport show an average high of about 70°F in January, one of the warmest winter climates in the western United States, and about 107°F in July. Rain is very rare, at only about 3.3 inches a year, spread thinly across winter storms and the late-summer monsoon.
When to Play
- Winter (November to March): Yuma's high season. Warm, sunny afternoons and cool mornings draw a large population of winter visitors from colder states and Canada, and the courses are at their busiest. Morning frost is rare, but chilly starts are common.
- Spring (April and May): still excellent, with fewer crowds; by late May, highs are regularly in the 90s.
- Summer (June to September): extreme heat, with highs well above 100°F for weeks at a time. If you play, start at first light and carry plenty of water.
- Autumn (October): overseeding season. The Arizona Golf Association's 2026 schedule shows, for example, the Las Barrancas courses closing in stages between September 17 and October 30, while Mesa del Sol is listed as not overseeding this year. Check with the course before booking.
How Far the Ball Flies
With most of its courses between about 100 and 400 feet above sea level, Yuma is one of the lowest golf destinations in the Southwest, so altitude adds almost nothing to your distance. The heat still helps: our carry model estimates that a drive that carries 230 yards at sea level on a 70°F day would carry about 231 yards on an average January afternoon in Yuma and about 238 yards on an average July afternoon. If you are used to golf in Phoenix or at higher elevations, expect the ball to fly a little shorter here.
Getting Started
For warm, dependable winter golf, Yuma is hard to beat. Plan your trip between November and March, book early in peak season, and check the forecast for your tee time on our Arizona golf weather pages. For the wider Arizona golf year, see Golf in Arizona: A Season-by-Season Guide.
Photo: golfers at Desert Hills Municipal Golf Course, Yuma, Arizona, during the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma intramural golf championship, by Lance Cpl. Uriel Avendano, U.S. Marine Corps (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons. Resized from the original.
