Where to Play Golf Over Christmas in the Sun
When the courses at home are frozen or waterlogged, Christmas is the moment to chase the sun with a set of clubs. From the prime winter season in Dubai to the southern summer of Mauritius and South Africa, here are the eight best places to play warm weather golf over the festive period, ranked with our verdicts, flight times and the trip each one suits.
Photo: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai via Google.
How we chose
The festive window is short, busy and expensive, so a Christmas golf trip has to deliver reliable warmth and quality courses for the money. We ranked these eight on the strength of the golf, the dependability of December weather, the ease of getting there from the main golf markets, and how festive a base each makes for a group, a couple or a family. The order runs roughly from the easiest, most reliable warm weather golf trips toward the longer hauls and the more specialist choices, though every one of them delivers golf in the sun while home sits under frost.
A note on the season: December is peak in almost all of these places, so the best courses and lodging book up early and prices are at their highest over Christmas and New Year. The figures and conditions below were checked in June 2026 and are indicative, varying by year, so always confirm current weather, rates and tee time availability directly before booking. Where a destination has our hub, trip and best of pages, we have linked them so you can go deeper on the courses.
The eight best places for Christmas golf in the sun
01 Dubai and the UAE
Dubai is the standout winter sun golf trip, because December to February is its prime season: warm, dry days in the mid 20s, blue skies and the championship courses in peak shape. The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club and the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates are tournament venues you can play, and the city's hotels, dining and festive atmosphere make it a complete trip for a group or a couple. It is the busiest and priciest window of the year here, so the Christmas and New Year dates need booking well ahead, but for guaranteed warmth, marquee golf and an easy flight, nowhere beats it.
Best golf courses in Dubai →02 The Algarve, Portugal
For the shortest flight to winter golf, the Algarve is hard to beat. December is mild rather than hot, with pleasant days in the teens and the famous courses far quieter and cheaper than in the spring peak. Quinta do Lago, San Lorenzo, Monte Rei and the Vilamoura layouts all play well through the winter, the light is soft and low, and the region's restaurants and resorts stay welcoming over the festive period. It is the easy, value led choice for a European golfer who wants sun on the ball without a long haul, though pack a layer for the cooler mornings.
Golf in the Algarve →03 Mauritius
For a golf and beach trip with genuine luxury, Mauritius in December is the southern hemisphere summer, warm and lush, with the chance of a tropical shower that clears as fast as it arrives. The island's resort courses are a roll call of design: Ernie Els at Anahita, Bernhard Langer's island course at Ile aux Cerfs, Louis Oosthuizen at La Reserve and the Heritage layouts in the south. It pairs world class golf with white sand and five star hotels, which makes it a special festive trip for couples and families as much as golf groups, at a price to match the setting.
Mauritius golf holidays →04 Cape Town and the Garden Route, South Africa
South Africa is at its summer best around Christmas, with long, warm days, and the golf is superb value once the exchange rate is in your favor. Base around Cape Town and the Garden Route for Fancourt's three courses including the Links, Pearl Valley, Steenberg and Pinnacle Point on the cliffs, all within a spectacular landscape of mountains, vineyards and coastline. The time zone is friendly from Europe, the food and wine are a draw in themselves, and a self drive Garden Route golf trip is one of the great festive escapes for a group happy to travel.
South Africa golf holidays →05 Florida
Florida is the classic American winter golf escape, warm and largely dry in December, with an enormous spread of courses from the Streamsong dunescape between Tampa and Orlando to PGA National, the Naples resorts and the courses of the Atlantic coast. It suits a longer festive trip, a multi center group tour or a family holiday that mixes golf with the theme parks and beaches. The sheer choice and the reliable winter warmth are the draw, though the very best resort dates over the holidays book up early, so plan ahead and confirm rates.
Golf in Florida →06 Thailand
December falls in Thailand's cool, dry season, the best time of year to play, with comfortable warmth around the high 20s and little rain. Bangkok, Hua Hin and Phuket each give a cluster of excellent, well conditioned courses at prices that feel generous, played with a caddie as standard, and the wider trip is a feast of food, culture and hospitality. It is a brilliant long haul festive option for golfers who want value, variety and a real holiday around the golf, with the courses at their seasonal peak just as Europe freezes.
Golf in Thailand →07 Marrakech and Agadir, Morocco
For winter warmth on a short flight, Morocco is the long standing alternative to the Algarve, a touch hotter and very different in character. Marrakech offers a cluster of resort courses such as Amelkis, Al Maaden and the desert layout at Assoufid against the backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, while Agadir on the coast adds the links style of Tazegzout and the established courses around the bay. December days in the low 20s, a rich culture and good value make it a characterful festive golf break that feels a world away despite the short journey.
Golf in Morocco →08 Los Cabos, Mexico
At the tip of the Baja peninsula, Los Cabos delivers some of the most dramatic golf in the Americas, where the desert meets the Sea of Cortez under near guaranteed December sunshine. Diamante's Dunes and El Cardonal, Quivira on the cliffs and the Nicklaus courses at Cabo del Sol and Palmilla give a concentration of world class layouts in a compact, resort rich strip. It is a longer haul from Europe and a premium trip, but for a group or a couple chasing big scenery, warm weather and a festive base with a buzz, it is a memorable Christmas golf choice.
Best golf courses in Los Cabos →Destinations, weather and flight times verified June 2026 and are indicative, varying by year and route. December is peak season in most of these places, so book early and always confirm current weather, rates and tee time availability directly before booking. Plan a winter sun golf trip.
How to choose, and when to book
Start with flight time and the warmth you want. For the shortest journeys from Europe, the Algarve and Morocco give mild winter golf in under four hours, pleasant rather than hot. For dependable heat with an easy flight, Dubai is the pick, in its prime season and worth the premium. For the full tropical or southern summer, Mauritius, South Africa, Thailand, Florida and Los Cabos all deliver, at the cost of a long haul and a higher price. Then weigh the trip type: a buddies group, a couple wanting golf and beach, or a family that needs more than fairways.
Whatever you choose, book early. The Christmas and New Year dates are the busiest of the year in every one of these destinations, so the best courses, tee times and lodging go first and prices peak. Aim several months ahead, keep a little date flexibility, and let us hold the rounds and the rooms together so the festive trip is locked before it fills. For more on the year round options, see our guide to the best winter golf destinations in the world.
Plan a Christmas golf trip in the sun
From Dubai and the Algarve to Mauritius, South Africa and Los Cabos, we hold the festive tee times and lodging together before they fill, and cost the whole trip to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds it around the golf, with no obligation.
Christmas golf in the sun questions
Where can you play golf in the sun at Christmas?
The reliable warm weather golf destinations over Christmas split by region. From Europe, Dubai and the UAE are in their prime winter season, the Algarve offers mild golf and short flights, and Morocco around Marrakech and Agadir sits at a pleasant temperature. Further afield, Mauritius and South Africa are in their southern summer, Thailand is in its cool dry season, and Florida and Los Cabos in Mexico give warm winter golf in the Americas. Choose by flight time, budget and the kind of trip you want, and always confirm current conditions and rates before booking.
Is Dubai good for golf at Christmas?
Yes. December to February is Dubai's prime golf season, with comfortable daytime temperatures around the mid 20s Celsius, blue skies and the championship courses such as Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates in peak condition. It is also the busiest and priciest window, so book early for the Christmas and New Year period. Direct flights from Europe and a short time difference make it an easy winter sun choice. Always confirm current rates and tee time availability directly before booking.
Where is warmest for golf in December for a short flight from the UK?
For the shortest flights from the UK, the Algarve in southern Portugal and Morocco around Marrakech and Agadir are the mildest options, both under four hours and pleasant for winter golf, though cooler than the long haul tropics. For guaranteed heat you travel further, to Dubai at around five to seven hours or the southern hemisphere and Southeast Asia beyond that. Match the flight time to the warmth you want. Always confirm current conditions and rates before booking.
Do you need to book Christmas golf trips early?
Yes. The Christmas and New Year window is peak season in the warm weather destinations, so the best courses, tee times and lodging fill early and prices are at their highest. Dubai, Mauritius, South Africa and Los Cabos in particular sell out their festive dates well ahead. Book several months in advance, keep some date flexibility, and confirm everything in writing. Always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Destinations, weather and flight times verified June 2026 and are indicative. Last reviewed June 2026.