Is today a good day to play golf? – live verdict
Plan golf around rain, gusts, feels-like temperature and forecast thunderstorms.
Choose your location to load today’s verdict and its reason. No current verdict is available until the forecast loads.
What makes a good golf day
A dry tee time does not tell you how the whole round will feel. Rain affects comfort and grip, gusts affect shots, and heat or cold can make a long round less comfortable. The model also considers visibility and wintry weather. Forecast thunderstorm codes are a NO-GO, but the tool does not provide live lightning detection or decide whether a course is open.
Compare the hourly outlook with the expected length of your round, including any delay. A short good window may not last for eighteen holes. Drainage, standing water, frost, temporary greens and course closures are not measured. Check with the course and follow its weather instructions rather than interpreting GO as permission to play.
| Changed input | Score | Verdict | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry reference hour | 100/100 | GO | None |
| Gusts 35 km/h | 85/100 | GO | None |
| Gusts 48 km/h | 64/100 | MAYBE | MAYBE |
| Rain 0.3 mm/h | 75/100 | GO | None |
| Heavy rain 2 mm/h | 40/100 | NO-GO | NO-GO |
| Feels-like 5°C | 64/100 | MAYBE | MAYBE |
| Visibility 900 m | 40/100 | NO-GO | NO-GO |
Each example changes only the listed inputs from a dry, clear reference hour: air and feels-like temperature 18°C, steady wind and gusts 10 km/h, visibility 10 km, no precipitation, 0% precipitation probability and UV 0. These illustrative results are calculated from the same scoring functions as the live tool. Several penalties can combine into a lower verdict.
A score of 70–100 is GO, 45–69 MAYBE, and 0–44 NO-GO. A MAYBE cap limits the effective score to 64, and a NO-GO cap to 40. These are the app’s suitability bands, not certified safe operating limits.
Storm forecasts and course instructions
Thunderstorm codes force NO-GO in this model, but course opening and suspension decisions come from the course. The forecast does not detect local lightning or establish when play can resume. Check the course’s instructions before setting off and during the round.
Wind wrecks scoring before it wrecks comfort
Wind affects more than temperature. The model starts subtracting gust points at 35 km/h and applies a MAYBE cap at 48 km/h. It does not predict ball flight, shelter on a specific hole or your score; use the hourly values as weather information, not a playing guarantee.
Plan the whole outing
Look at the forecast for the full round, including its likely finishing time. Check directly with the course for access and weather procedures. A morning GO can coexist with worse afternoon conditions; the daily summary should not override the hour-by-hour view.
The model does not know course closures, drainage, frost on the greens, shelter, pace of play or local lightning observations. A weather code is a forecast, not confirmation that a course has closed or reopened.
Forecast inputs: Open-Meteo Weather Forecast API. Scoring and limitations: GoNoGo methodology. Send corrections through Contact. Model explanations checked against the deployed scoring code on 14 September 2026.
Optional equipment references
These category links are not field-tested product reviews. Check fit, specifications and suitability independently; equipment does not override the weather verdict.
Affiliate disclosure: these Amazon links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. They are optional category searches, not tested product endorsements.
Golf weather FAQ
Do golf courses close for thunderstorms?
Follow the course’s own lightning and suspension procedures. A thunderstorm code gives NO-GO here, but the app does not know whether the course is open and cannot give an all-clear.
How much wind is too much for golf?
This model subtracts gust points from 35 km/h and caps at MAYBE from 48 km/h. These are scoring settings, not a playing limit for every person or course.
Is it worth golfing in the rain?
Check course access and drainage independently. Heavy rain and dense fog force NO-GO in this model, but a favourable later hour cannot show that greens or paths have become usable.
Out walking or riding instead? Try the hiking, running or cycling verdict, or start from the GoNoGo Weather home.