Winter Golf in St. George, Utah: What December to February Is Really Like
Winter golf in St. George, Utah: mid-50s highs, frost delays, half-price afternoon rates at Sand Hollow and why Mesquite runs warmer. Rates seen Oct 2026.
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Winter golf in St. George, Utah is very playable: December and January highs average about 53 to 54°F, afternoons are usually calm, and the overseeded courses across St. George, Washington and Hurricane stay green. Expect frost delays, so plan on mid-morning tee times. Afternoon rates at the resort courses drop by about half, and Mesquite, NV, about 50 minutes south on I-15, runs about 7°F warmer.
If you're coming from Canada or the northern US, that's the pitch for winter golf in Southern Utah. St. George gives you green fairways and mild afternoons while home is under snow. Here's what to plan around.
What winter golf in St. George, Utah actually feels like
The NOAA 1991-2020 normals for St. George tell most of the story. Wind is the average daily speed at St. George Regional Airport, 2016-2025.
| Month | Normal high | Normal low | Rain (in) | Rain days | Avg wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 53°F | 28°F | 0.86 | 4.5 | 3.2 mph |
| January | 54°F | 28°F | 1.22 | 5.4 | 3.7 mph |
| February | 59°F | 32°F | 1.38 | 5.7 | 5.0 mph |
Read the lows first. A 28°F morning means frost on the greens, and courses hold the first groups until it lifts. By early afternoon, mid-50s with almost no wind is comfortable golf in a light layer. December, November and January are the three calmest months of the year at the airport.
February is the wettest month on average, but that's still only about 1.4 inches across about six days.
The courses look different, too. Most of the courses in Washington County are bermuda, which goes dormant and brown in winter, so they overseed with ryegrass every fall. St. George Golf Club is a good example: the city says its tees, fairways and greens stay rich green from November to March while the rough goes brown. A few courses avoid this entirely. Coral Canyon in Washington and Black Desert in Ivins grow cool-season grass year-round. The full fall schedule is in the St. George overseed schedule.
The winter tee-time window is short
Between frost in the morning and early sunsets, the usable window is roughly late morning to early afternoon. Two warnings from the data:
- Don't tee off too late on slow courses. Locals told the STG Newsletter that a 1:30 p.m. winter tee time at Green Spring can finish near dark because the canyon holes on 5 and 6 bottleneck.
- Some courses use shotgun or split-tee starts in winter. Wolf Creek in Mesquite uses split-tee starts from December, and a frost delay moves everyone back. CasaBlanca's winter online inventory was mostly 10:00 a.m. and about 3:06 p.m. shotgun blocks.
Book with the window in mind. The city courses open tee times 14 days out online, Green Spring 14 days (prepaid), SunRiver 60 days, The Ledges 120 days and Sand Hollow 180 days.
Where to play winter golf around St. George
Winter golf here spreads across four areas, and the drive matters more in winter because the day is short. Drive times are from downtown St. George.
| Area | Courses | Drive from downtown | Clubhouse elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central and south St. George | Dixie Red Hills, Southgate, St. George Golf Club, SunRiver | 7–14 min | about 2,510–2,990 ft |
| West side, toward Ivins and Snow Canyon | Sunbrook, Black Desert, The Ledges | 12–15 min | about 2,720–3,810 ft |
| Washington, east of town | Green Spring, Coral Canyon | 12–17 min | about 2,940–3,080 ft |
| Hurricane, toward Zion | Sky Mountain, Sand Hollow | 28–32 min | about 3,080–3,200 ft |
| Mesquite, NV | Wolf Creek, CasaBlanca, Oasis, Falcon Ridge | 50–52 min | about 1,560–1,860 ft |
The Ledges is the highest course in the St. George area at about 3,810 feet at the clubhouse and runs slightly cooler, so save it for the warmest part of the day. At the other end, the Mesquite courses sit more than 1,000 feet lower than most of the Utah side, which is why they are warmer.
On a short December day, the close-in city courses make the most sense. Southgate is about 8 minutes from downtown and the shortest city 18 at 6,218 yards from the tips. Dixie Red Hills is a 9-hole course about 7 minutes out, handy when the light is going.
Six good winter rounds, and why
Not every course suits a cold month equally. These are the ones the data points to for winter golf in St. George, Utah and next door in Mesquite.
- Sand Hollow Championship in Hurricane, after 1 p.m. The afternoon rate in December and January was half the morning price, and by then the frost is long gone. Twilight rounds there aren't guaranteed to finish 18, so go off as early in the discount window as you can. Golf Digest ranks it No. 10 in Utah for 2025-26.
- Coral Canyon in Washington. Its cool-season turf means no dormant bermuda anywhere, and the price eases to about $115 for 18 in December and January.
- Southgate. The shortest city 18, minutes off I-15, so it fits comfortably into a short winter day. Walking was $44 in the October to May season.
- Black Desert in Ivins, Jan 2 to Mar 12. The non-guest rate falls from $450 to $325 in this window (2026 card). In 2026, though, Feb 26 to Mar 12 was spring aeration recovery, with possible cart-path-only days.
- Sky Mountain in Hurricane. About $78 with a cart from September to January (STG Newsletter, October 2026), and the closest course to Zion National Park. Wind is its defense, and December and January are among the calmest months at the St. George airport.
- Wolf Creek in Mesquite, Dec 8 to Jan 14. The cheapest stretch on the 2025-26 card at $200, in Mesquite's warmer air.
Winter green fees in St. George, seen October 2026
These are rates we saw on official rate pages and live tee sheets for December 2026 to February 2027. Rates change, so confirm before you book.
| Course | Winter morning | Winter afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| Sand Hollow Championship | $150–$173 (Dec–Jan) | $75 Tue / $85 Sat after ~1 p.m. |
| Sand Hollow Links (9 holes) | $50 weekday, $65 Sat (Jan) | Same all day |
| The Ledges | Not sampled for Dec | $75–$105 after 2:30 p.m. (Jan–Feb) |
| Coral Canyon | About $115 (Jan, Dec) | About $75 twilight |
| Sunbrook | $88 with cart (city Oct–May rate) | No twilight rate |
| St. George Golf Club, Southgate | $64 with cart, $44 walking (Oct–May) | No twilight rate |
| Green Spring | $70 Sun–Thu / $75 Fri–Sat with cart (Sep–Jan) | Not on current rates page |
| SunRiver | $105 Mon–Thu, $115 Fri–Sun | $60 after 1 p.m. (Nov–Jan) |
| Black Desert | $325 non-guest / $250 guest (Jan 2–Mar 12) | No twilight published |
| Wolf Creek | $200 (Dec 8–Jan 14, 2025-26 card) | No twilight in winter |
| Falcon Ridge | $145 | $95 from ~11:40, $72.50 from 2 p.m. (Dec) |
| Oasis Palmer and Canyons | $155 | $105 from noon |
| CasaBlanca | $130 (late Nov to Jan 9) | $90 from noon |
Two patterns stand out. First, Sand Hollow's afternoon rate in December and January is the best deal on a Golf Digest top-10 Utah course all year, as long as you can finish before dark. Second, Wolf Creek's cheapest window for the full experience is its early-winter rate, $200 from Dec 8 to Jan 14 on the 2025-26 card, against $420 on spring weekends. For every course side by side, see St. George green fees compared.
Head south when it's cold: Mesquite, NV in winter
Mesquite sits lower, at about 1,550 to 1,860 feet at the clubhouses, against roughly 2,500 to 3,800 feet on the Utah side. Using the nearest NOAA station at Beaver Dam, Arizona:
| Month | St. George high | Mesquite-area high | Mesquite-area low |
|---|---|---|---|
| December | 53°F | 60°F | 32°F |
| January | 54°F | 62°F | 33°F |
| February | 59°F | 66°F | 36°F |
On a cold week, play your morning rounds in Mesquite and save St. George for the afternoons. Just remember the clock: Mesquite is on Pacific time, an hour behind St. George, so a 10:00 tee time there is 11:00 back in Utah. The Mesquite golf day trip from St. George covers the drive.
Winter events that affect bookings
Winter is quiet, but not empty. The Mesquite Hot Air Balloon Festival brings a modest bump in Mesquite resort occupancy in late January (Jan 23-25 in 2026, at CasaBlanca Resort), and the St. George Parade of Homes drew regional visitors over two weekends in February (Feb 13-22 in 2026). Neither had 2027 dates published when we checked. CasaBlanca also lists a Swing with Santa resort tournament on Dec 20, 2026, which can block its tee sheet.
Staying a month or more in Washington County
A lot of the people who come for winter golf in St. George are snowbirds staying for weeks. A few things to check:
- Local rates need local ID. The City of St. George loyalty card ($80 a year) requires a Utah ID with a Washington County address, and it isn't valid Friday or Saturday from Oct 1 to Apr 30. The Ledges' Club 72 pass ($175 a year, 20% off) is also for Washington County residents.
- SunRiver Players Card. $1,000 a year, then $46 per 18, from the 2026-27 rate sheet. The sheet doesn't limit it to residents, but confirm with the shop.
- Punch cards. Green Spring has advertised a 10-round punch card at $460 for 18 holes with cart. It came from an undated city news item, so confirm it's still offered.
- Oasis in Mesquite. Its resident rate covers verified Washington County, Utah residents as well as Clark County, Nevada, so St. George locals qualify with ID.
More on this in St. George golf resident rates.
Winter lodging is the cheapest of the year
On Kayak's 12-month averages (seen Oct 11, 2026), December was the cheapest month at several hotels near the city courses: about $75 a night at the Hilton Garden Inn, about $80 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, $98 at Tru by Hilton, and about $118 to $120 at the Hyatt Place, Staybridge Suites and Hampton Inn SunRiver. The exception is the holiday stretch: Thanksgiving week and the Dec 21, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 school break bring family travel and fuller resorts.
One winter catch if you base at Sand Hollow Resort in Hurricane: its outdoor pools close from the week after Thanksgiving to Presidents' Day weekend, though the hot tubs stay open year-round. For which part of town suits a winter stay, see where to stay for golf in St. George.
What to pack for winter golf, St. George style
- Layers: a warm mid-layer and windproof shell for the first hour, a polo underneath for the afternoon. The gap between the average low and high is about 25 degrees.
- A beanie and winter gloves for between shots on the early holes.
- Collared shirts. Sand Hollow strictly enforces its dress code (collars, no denim of any kind) whatever the weather.
If you're still choosing between winter and spring, compare with the best time to golf in St. George, or check the month-by-month numbers in St. George golf weather.
Plan it on the map
The 3D map of St. George golf shows every course with its elevation, fees and drive time from downtown. Check the Mesquite courses too, to see how close the warmer Nevada option is when a cold front comes through.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Can you golf in St. George, Utah in the winter?
Yes. NOAA normal highs are about 53°F in December, 54°F in January and 59°F in February, and the courses stay open. Lows near 28°F cause frost delays, so most winter rounds in St. George start mid-morning or later.
What time should I book a winter tee time in St. George, Utah?
Late morning to early afternoon. Earlier risks a frost delay, and later risks running out of light: locals say a 1:30 p.m. winter tee time at Green Spring in Washington can finish near dark because the canyon holes back up.
Are St. George golf courses green in winter?
Mostly. The bermuda courses overseed with ryegrass each fall so tees, fairways and greens stay green. At St. George Golf Club the city notes the rough is not overseeded and goes brown from November to March. Coral Canyon and Black Desert grow cool-season grass all year.
Is Mesquite, NV warmer than St. George in winter?
Yes, by about 7 to 8°F. NOAA normals from Beaver Dam, Arizona, the nearest station to Mesquite, show January highs near 62°F against 54°F in St. George. The Mesquite courses are about 50 to 56 minutes from downtown St. George on I-15.
Are green fees cheaper in winter in St. George, Utah?
At the resort courses, yes, especially in the afternoon: Sand Hollow in Hurricane dropped to $75 to $85 after about 1 p.m. in December and January (seen October 2026). The City of St. George courses still charge their October to May rate in winter.
Which St. George golf courses are closest to downtown for a short winter day?
Dixie Red Hills (about 7 minutes), Southgate (about 8) and St. George Golf Club (about 10) are the closest. Southgate is the shortest city 18 at 6,218 yards from the tips, which suits a short winter day.
Keep reading
SeasonsGolf in St. George, Utah in November: Open Courses, Weather, Rates and EventsNovember golf in St. George, Utah: every course reopened from overseed, 64°F highs, light wind, late-month Mesquite rate drops and events blocking tee times.8 min read
PlanningSt. George, Utah Green Fees for 2026: Every Course, Every Season, in One PlaceSt. George, Utah green fees for 2026 compared: peak, fall, winter, summer, twilight and local rates at every course from Ivins to Hurricane and Mesquite.7 min read
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