Palm Springs summer golf: the heat, dawn tee times and the lowest rates of the year

Palm Springs summer golf is dawn golf at the lowest prices of the year. From June to September, afternoon highs run 102F to 109F, so courses open at first light and most rounds finish by late morning. In return, green fees fall to a fraction of winter rates: summer 2026 tee times at several full-length courses cost about $30 with a cart.

This guide covers the heat month by month, how to play it safely, summer 2026 rates course by course, which courses close or aerify in summer and when fall overseed begins. Rates were seen between June and September 2026, mostly as online deals, and change by date and hour.

Quick facts

• Highs: June 103.6F, July 108.6F, August 108.1F, September 101.8F (NOAA 1991-2020, Palm Springs airport).
• Lows: about 73F in June to near 80F in July and August.
• Rain: June averages none; July to September bring occasional monsoon storms.
• Cheapest rounds seen: about $30 with cart at Cimarron Boulder, Big Rock and Mountain Vista.
• Closures: some courses close for summer renovation or aerify; overseed closures start in late September.
• Hotels: lowest occupancy of the year, with resort summer deals.

Palm Springs summer golf weather

Normals are NOAA 1991-2020 at Palm Springs International. Thermal, near La Quinta and Indio, is within a degree or two by day and a few degrees cooler at night, at 75.6F in July. From July to September, monsoon surges can bring humidity, dust storms and isolated thunderstorms, and very occasionally flash flooding that closes I-10 or valley-floor crossings. See Palm Springs weather by month.

How to play in the heat

• Take the first tee time. Golf is a dawn activity here from June to September.
• Ride. Walking 18 holes in 100F-plus heat is hard work; take the cart.
• Carry far more water than usual. Refill at every chance.
• Finish by late morning. Afternoon highs from June to September are 102F to 109F.
• Mind the nights. July and August lows near 80F mean even dawn is warm, so the first hour is the only cool golf you get.

Summer 2026 rates, course by course

The pattern of Palm Springs summer golf is clear: most daily-fee courses fell to $30 to $55 in summer 2026, Desert Willow and PGA West to roughly $50 to $95, and Classic Club still cost $135 for a June morning. For PGA West, the same tracker gave about $80 for the Nicklaus Tournament and $65 for the Greg Norman in summer. The cheapest courses carry trade-offs in conditioning, so read recent reviews; Mission Hills Gary Player drew complaints about its greens in a review from about August 2026. See the Gary Player course guide, the Cimarron Boulder course guide and the Big Rock course guide.

Palm Desert residents do even better. The Palm Desert Resident Card ($52 a year) got a $40 Desert Willow rate from June 15 to September 10, 2026, with one guest also at $40. Our cheap golf in Palm Springs guide has more value plays.

More summer value

A few more summer 2026 figures, for golfers chasing the lowest fee:

• Indian Palms: a reseller voucher sold 18 holes with cart for $46 from June 1 to September 30, 2026.
• Oasis Country Club: $35.99 with cart on August 22, 2026, for its par-60 executive course.
• Palm Desert Resort Country Club: $39.99 to $53.99 with cart in September 2026.
• Shadow Mountain: $49.49 on GolfNow for June 7, 2026.
• Oak Valley in Beaumont: a $32.99 deal on a September 21, 2026 afternoon.
• Eagle Falls: ran lower summer rates through September 28, 2025; 2026 figures were not found.

Summer closures and aerification

Palm Springs summer golf comes with heavy maintenance, so check the date before you book:

• Westin Rancho Mirage Pete Dye: closed May 1 to August 27, 2026 for greens work.
• Shadow Hills South: closed for summer 2026; the North short course stays open, with the shop closing at noon.
• Desert Willow Firecliff: aerification June 29 to July 8 and August 10 to 19, 2026.
• Desert Willow Mountain View: aerification July 20 to 30 and August 24 to September 2, 2026.
• Classic Club: aerification July 1 to August 31, 2026.

From the second half of September, overseed closures start: Desert Willow Mountain View closed September 21 in 2026. Our Palm Springs golf overseed guide has the fall dates.

May: the shoulder before the heat

May is the transition. Highs reach the mid-90s, the snowbirds have gone, most courses move to summer rates during the month and tee sheets open up. The rye starts to thin as the bermuda comes back, so some courses look patchy. It is also the windiest month at Thermal, about 9.0 mph on average. For early-morning golf at lower rates without July heat, May is the sweet spot. See the best time to golf in Palm Springs.

A cooler round in the Pass

Morongo's Champions course at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont sits at about 2,600 feet, 42 minutes west of downtown Palm Springs, and runs cooler and windier than the valley floor. Its published rate table (seen November 2026) is $90 weekday and $110 weekend before 10 AM, falling to $55 and $60 after 2 PM, cart included, though recent reviews complained about bunkers while renovation was under way in fall 2026.

Summer hotels and things to do

Hotels run their lowest occupancy of the year in summer and resorts sell stay-and-play deals. STR data quoted by Visit Greater Palm Springs put September 2025 at 50.7% occupancy and a $164.08 average daily rate. Southern California weekend drive-in visitors keep Palm Springs pool hotels busier on weekends than midweek.

After the morning round, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs to about 8,500 feet, the classic local escape from the heat. The Palm Springs Air Museum's hangars are indoors and out of the sun. Our things to do in Palm Springs guide has more.

Who summer golf suits

Palm Springs summer golf suits locals, Southern California drive-in golfers and anyone who wants top courses at a low price and does not mind a 6 AM start. It does not suit a buddies trip built around 36-hole days or long lunches on the patio. For a group trip, look at November or spring instead; see Palm Springs golf rates for how each season compares.

Plan it on the map

Open the Palm Springs golf map to see which courses are closest to your base, so the drive to a dawn tee time is short. The $30 plan builds a summer trip around first-light tee times and skips courses closed for renovation or aerification.