The best golf courses to play during the winter

If you’re looking to play a round of golf during the winter months, look no further than California, Arizona or Hawaii for some of the highlights during what some consider the off-season.

Online betting site JeffBet compiled a list of the best golf courses in the US from a selection of over 3,000 courses.

Furnace Creek Ranch, located in the California desert, was ranked the best course with a score of 76.08 out of 100.

The ranking was based on various factors, including weather conditions, facilities, availability and cost per round.

Rounding out the top five were Lights at Indio Golf Course in Southern California, Makani Golf Club in Hawaii, Desert Mirage Golf & Practice Center in Arizona and Waikoloa Beach Golf Course in Hawaii.

The courses earned high marks due to their generally warm climate and minimal rainfall during the winter months.

“Frost-covered expanses and shortened daylight hours can make winter golf feel like an unattainable dream,” said a JeffBet spokesperson.

“Escaping the blues of winter and keeping your golf game alive in warmer climates, where stunning scenery, pristine conditions and year-round sunshine await on featured courses, players can enjoy considerable relief of stress and a boost to their mental well-being.”

The average winter minimum temperature at Furnace Creek Ranch is just over 50 degrees with highs reaching the 60s and 70s during the day.

Courses in Hawaii also scored high on the list, but range length availability and cost likely influenced their ratings, despite experiencing more scenic weather than California and Arizona.

Analysts said players in the 50th state enjoyed the most daylight of any country, averaging about 11.09 hours per day during the winter.

North Shore Golf Club, located just outside of Orlando, was the only course to make the 25-ball list that is not located in the Southwest or Hawaii.

According to the National Golf Foundation, one-third of the US either played golf, followed the sport through media or read about the game in 2023, an increase of about 30% over 2016 interest levels.

Golfers at most major winter destinations don’t need to worry about the threat of lightning interrupting a game.

According to data from the National Lightning Safety Council, nearly half of golf-related deaths during inclement weather involved a victim trying to take shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm.