California - golf communities, luxury real estate homes living waterfront estates

History
In 1542 the Spanish first explored the southern coast of California. .The 1840's were a time when American settlers began to move to California. After Mexico's defeat in the Mexican War, California was ceded to the U.S. That same year, 1848, gold was discovered, bringing thousands of new settlers to the land of opportunity. Many Chinese laborers came to work on the Transcontinental Railroad (completed 1869), which linked the state with the East. . The state is the hub of U.S. motion-picture and television film production. Since the 1960s the area around San Jose (Silicon Valley) has become a center for high-technology industries.

Geography/Climate
The Coast Ranges extend along the Pacific, and in the north are the famous giant redwood forests. To the west of the Coast Ranges is the fertile Central Valley, drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Farther east is the dramatic Sierra Nevada range, location of Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite national parks, and of Mt. Whitney. The state's eastern section, largely desert, includes Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks. California has a varied climate, generally, there are two seasons: a rainy period from October to April and a dry period from May to September. Temperatures, mainly mild, are warmer in the south than in the central and northern sections, extremely hot in the deserts, and cooler in the mountains.

California Golf Course Supply as of Dec. 31, 1998 (Ranked 2nd Nationally) According to the National Golf Foundation
Daily Fee	Municipal	Private	Total
430	211	314	955