The best time to golf in the Rio Grande Valley, month by month
The best time to golf in the Rio Grande Valley is November and February to April. Month by month: weather, crowds, rates and events, with NOAA normals.
Open the 3D map of every course →
The best time to golf in the Rio Grande Valley is November, then February through April. November has highs near 80F, dry days and tee sheets that fill only around Thanksgiving. February and March are warm and dry but busy, and April brings open tee times and lower rates with more wind. January is peak season with cold fronts.
The Valley has a long golf season and a short list of months to avoid, so the best time to golf in the Rio Grande Valley depends on what you value most. The deciding factors are the Winter Texan crowd, which sets tee time demand and prices, and the summer heat and storms. This guide goes month by month with NOAA 1991-2020 normals for McAllen and the events that move the calendar. Rates and event dates change, so check before you book.
Quick facts
- Best month overall: November, about 80F highs and 60F lows.
- Peak season: roughly November to March; hardest tee times January to mid-March.
- Best value: April, after the Winter Texans leave (Easter is March 28, 2027).
- Windiest: April and May, about 12 mph average.
- Avoid: June to September for heat, and September for rain and storms.
- Hurricane season: June 1 to November 30.
The Rio Grande Valley golf year at a glance
| Month | High / low (F) | Rain days | Avg wind (mph) | Crowds and rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 72.8 / 52.7 | 6.1 | 9.5 | Peak. Busiest tee sheets |
| February | 77.4 / 56.9 | 4.5 | 10.7 | Peak. Book mornings well ahead |
| March | 83.2 / 62.7 | 4.4 | 11.5 | Peak to mid-month; spring break on the coast |
| April | 88.4 / 68.4 | 3.8 | 12.2 | Crowd gone after Easter; rates soften |
| May | 93.1 / 74.1 | 4.3 | 12.4 | Off-season rates |
| June | 97.4 / 78.0 | 4.8 | 11.7 | Quiet and cheap; dawn golf |
| July | 98.5 / 78.8 | 4.7 | 12.0 | Low season |
| August | 99.6 / 78.9 | 4.7 | 10.6 | Hottest month; summer rates |
| September | 94.3 / 75.6 | 8.0 | 8.4 | Wettest month; peak storm risk |
| October | 89.3 / 68.7 | 5.8 | 8.9 | First cool fronts; season pricing starts around Nov 1 |
| November | 80.2 / 60.1 | 5.2 | 9.1 | Season starts; fills by Thanksgiving |
| December | 73.8 / 54.1 | 6.1 | 9.2 | Busy holiday weeks; short days |
NOAA 1991-2020 normals at McAllen Miller International Airport. Rain days count days with at least 0.01 inches. Our McAllen weather by month guide has rainfall totals and what each month feels like on the course.
Winter Texan peak: November to March
This is the Valley's golf season. Highs mostly run 73F to 83F, and Winter Texans from the Midwest, the Plains and Canada fill the RV and mobile-home parks.
November is the best time to golf in the Rio Grande Valley if you can pick only one month. It averages about 80F, the rain has eased (1.17 inches at McAllen), and the crowd is still arriving. Tee sheets fill by Thanksgiving week (November 26, 2026). Hurricane season ends November 30. Many parks and courses switch to season pricing around November 1. See Rio Grande Valley golf in November.
December brings mid-70s afternoons and mornings in the low to mid 50s, with occasional cold fronts. Most Winter Texans are settled in, holiday weeks are busy, and short days compress the tee sheets.
January is the peak month for tee sheets, RV resorts and restaurants. Normals are pleasant, but January is the month of the Valley's cold fronts, which can hold highs in the 50s for a day or two with wind and drizzle. The Texas Citrus Fiesta in Mission and the Winter Texan Expo in McAllen fall in January. Our Rio Grande Valley golf in January guide plans a peak-season week.
February is upper 70s, dry (4.5 rain days) and a little breezier. It is still peak season, so book morning tee times well ahead. Charro Days in Brownsville runs late in the month.
March is in the low to mid 80s, with wind near 11 to 12 mph and some two-club days. The RGV Livestock Show in Mercedes runs early to mid March, and South Padre spring break fills the coast in mid-March. Winter Texans start heading north late in the month. See Rio Grande Valley golf in March.
Spring shoulder: April and May
April may be the best value month. Highs are in the high 80s, the winter crowd is mostly gone after Easter, rates soften and tee times open up. The catch is wind: April and May are the windiest months, about 12 mph on average and often gusty from the southeast. Play mornings.
May reaches the low 90s with rising humidity and about 2 inches of rain. Off-season rates apply, but it is already early-tee-time golf.
Summer: June to September
Summer is long, hot and humid rather than desert-dry. Highs run from about 97F in June to 99.6F in August, and lows stay around 78F to 79F, so mornings never really cool off and the heat index runs above the air temperature. Courses stay open with their lowest rates and quiet tee sheets. Book the first tee time, ride and carry extra water.
September is the wettest month by far (4.6 inches at McAllen, 5.7 at Brownsville) and the peak of hurricane risk. Courses can be soggy. Recent Valley hurricane hits include Dolly (2008) and Hanna (2020). Our Rio Grande Valley summer golf and hurricane season golf in South Texas guides cover the off-season in detail.
October: the transition
October is still in the upper 80s and humid early, then the first cool fronts arrive. Brownsville averages 3.8 inches of rain in October against 2.1 in McAllen, so the coast is wetter. Winter Texans start arriving late in the month.
East vs west: does it matter when you go?
In winter, barely. Brownsville's January normals (72.6F / 53.1F) are almost identical to McAllen's. The Brownsville side is wetter all year, with 7.0 rain days in January against 6.1, and it gets more drizzle and fog with fronts. In spring and summer the Gulf breeze keeps Brownsville 2F to 4F cooler in the afternoon.
At South Padre Island Golf Club in Laguna Vista, the afternoon sea breeze off the Laguna Madre usually builds, so morning rounds are the better bet in any month. Avoid island stays during mid-March spring break unless that is the point.
The best time to golf in the Rio Grande Valley for each kind of trip
- Buddies trip or couple's long weekend: November or April. Good weather, easier tee times. See the Rio Grande Valley golf trip itinerary.
- Winter stay: November to March. Book monthly sites and rentals early; morning tee times and leagues fill first.
- Lowest cost: April and May for value with playable weather; summer for the very lowest rates.
- Most courses in top shape: not published course by course. Valley courses are warm-season bermudagrass, which usually stays partly green in winter but can go tan and semi-dormant for weeks after a hard freeze or a run of cold fronts.
On busy winter mornings, Champion Lakes in McAllen carries about thirty Winter Texan leagues, while Tierra Santa in Weslaco is the best-reviewed public course in the mid-Valley but can be slow on busy winter days. The Champion Lakes course guide and Tierra Santa course guide have the details. For Arizona's version of the calendar, see the best time to golf in Yuma.
Plan it on the map
Open the Rio Grande Valley golf map to see every course and stay with drive times between them. The $30 plan builds a trip around your dates, or a whole winter stay with a weekly course rotation that keeps your mornings on the quieter courses.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
What is the best time to golf in the Rio Grande Valley?
November is the best all-round month: about 80F highs, dry weather and tee sheets that only fill around Thanksgiving. February and March are drier and warmer than January but are peak season, and April brings open tee times and softer rates with more wind.
When is peak golf season in the Rio Grande Valley?
Roughly November to March, the Winter Texan season, with the busiest tee sheets from January to mid-March. Winter Texans leave from mid-March and after Easter (March 28, 2027).
Is January a good month to golf in the Valley?
Yes, with caveats. Normals are about 73F highs and 53F lows, but January is the month of cold fronts that can hold highs in the 50s for a day or two. It is also the busiest month for tee times.
Can you golf in the Rio Grande Valley in summer?
Courses stay open with their lowest rates, but McAllen highs run about 97F in June to 99.6F in August with muggy 78-79F nights. Play at first light, ride and carry extra water.
When is hurricane season in South Texas?
June 1 to November 30, with peak risk in August and September. September is also the wettest month, at about 4.6 inches in McAllen and 5.7 inches in Brownsville.
When is the Valley windiest for golf?
April and May, at about 12 mph average wind, often gusty from the southeast. September and October are the calmest months, at about 8 to 9 mph.
When should I avoid South Padre Island for golf?
Mid-March, when spring break fills South Padre, Port Isabel and the Queen Isabella Causeway and island lodging rates jump. The busiest week is usually when the large Texas universities break.
Keep reading
SeasonsHurricane season South Texas golf: what the risk means for a Valley tripHurricane season South Texas golf: June 1-Nov 30, peak Aug-Sep, wettest in September. Rain by month, cancellation terms and how to book a Valley trip safely.7 min read
SeasonsRio Grande Valley golf in March: the last big month of the seasonRio Grande Valley golf in March: low 80s, 11-12 mph wind, spring break on South Padre and Winter Texans leaving. Rates, tee times and what to book, Oct 2026.8 min read
SeasonsMcAllen weather by month: NOAA normals as plain golf adviceMcAllen weather by month from NOAA 1991-2020 normals: highs, lows, rain and wind for each month, what it means for golf, and how Brownsville compares.6 min read