Fighting the Jet Lag with Golf Hole-in-One

Who hasn't experienced it? After a 16-hour flight, sleeping at odd times, extended fatigue, keeping awake and feeling hungry when others are sleeping! All these are the signs of jet lag. Flying across the time zones gives you jet lag. How to overcome? It takes its own time. May last up to one week. Any other way to fight the jet lag. If you are a golfer, you can overcome the jet lag from day-1! How? Read on.

Ghumakkad recently travelled from India to USA. After arrival in California in the forenoon, I avoided sleeping till dinner time. First night was comfortable. Next day around lunch when it was late night in India, the body wanted to sleep. We decided instead to go golfing in the afternoon. It yielded positive results. Overcame sleepiness till dinner again. The third day went well till noon when once again the body clock wanted sleep. Another round of golf and we overcame the jet lag. So, if you are a golfer just play two rounds of golf within the first two three days and you will overcome the jet lag. If not a golfer, go on a hike or a walk or a run to fight the jet lag.

Few months back we had travelled to New Zealand for the Ironman event. Again it was a long journey across the time zones. Swimming, hiking and golf together helped us to overcome the jet lag successfully. Compare the two pictures below.

Beer Cart

Las Positas Golf Club, a public course in Livermore, California surprised us during the golf round yesterday. A golf cart with beer and other drinks went from hole to hole. Beer while teeing off? Well, see the picture.

Hole-In-One!

Once you have overcome the jet lag, you continue golfing. On the 4th day after arriving in California, we went golfing again. This time at another public course named Pleasanton Golf Center. So well maintained. Lush green fairways. Tight nine-hole course located inside a race course. I hit a hole-in-one on 138-yard Hole No. 8 using a 5 hybrid. 

The green is located across a hungry pond just 30 yards ahead of the water hazard. The ball landed short of the green, bounced up and curled right into the cup. Sadly, there was no gallery to applaud except my paying partner Surendra Bhargava. It was my first ever hole-in-one in 36 years of my golfing life! Hiwever, the hole-in-one got reported in East Bay Times published by Mercury News. Sharing the newspaper clippings below:

Sharing below few more pictures of the picturesque  Pleasanton Golf course.

Look at the bunkers so well kept at a public course!

So that is the power of golfing. It can even beat the jet lag!

Our previous story titled 'Golfing With Grandson In California' can be accessed here.

Memories of Pleasanton Golf Centre and my hole-in-one will be etched forever.

Thanks for browsing.

  - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ Pleasanton/ 28th July 2025.

#golf #jetlag #holeinone #california #navyveteran #pleasantongolfcenter #laspositasgolfclub #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb 

Golfing in California

'Golfer from Secunderabad, India. Looking for golfing partner in Pleasanton, California.'

Like the matrimony ads, Ghumakkad did not have to place such an ad on golfing sites! Because his threesome was already made! Yes, it was such a delight to be golfing in California with Ankur our son-in-law and Nikhil, our grandson. 

We played at a public course, Las Positas Golf Club, Livermore. The greens were top class. Fairways were also used by FootGolf where two people play to hole the football on a different green with a 21-inch hole. Sharing few pictures. We had the company of Bar headed geese and a Deer on the course. Weather was clear with strong breeze. Although a nine-hole course having all par-three holes, it wasn't a cakewalk. I could make only three Pars.

Let the pictures tell their stories. 

Teenager Nikhil, who enters the University shortly, would not walk but run on the golf course. If reminded me of 1989, when I started golf at US Club in Bombay. Being a regular jogger, I used to run between the holes. Nikhil had the company of bar headed geese.  See the pictures below.

Ankur on the 2nd Green.

See the flag in the foreground of the picture below. The cup size is larger for the soccer ball to be holed. Golf green is in upper right of the picture. 

A close up of our surprise visitor.

Golfers are always a happy lot specially when they ride a Cyber Truck!

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More from California coming up.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Ankur and Nikhil/ Pleasanton, California/26 July 2025

#golf #California #publicgolfcourse #pleasanton

#3GsGolfing #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #LasPositasGolfClub

High Altitude Hiking in Ladakh - Risky?

'Acclimatise for a minimum of two days!' 

'No local sight seeing for first 36 hours'

'Inner line permit will be given only two days after arrival in Leh'

'Leh has 25% less oxygen in the air. So acclimatise well!'

With these cautionary messages, would you venture out for a trek or hike at 13000 feet above the mean sea level? More so if you are a senior citizen past 73 years of age? Most tourists will say no! But Ghumakkad being in the company of his equally adventurous grandson Ansh, decided otherwise! Our picture story follows.

We undertook a high altitude hike in Ladakh while returning from Siachen Glacier and the Base Camp. On the return leg, after you cross Pamanik village and the hot springs, there is a worn out signboard of Yarab Tso meaning Yarab Lake. We had noticed the sign board on the way up the Glacier. The call of a high altitude hike, though fraught with risk, was too tempting not to be taken. Both of us decided to explore!

The weathered signboard of Yarab Tso on Siachen Road.

Where is Yarab Tso

Located in the midst of vast Nubra valley and its expansive riverbed, it is a lake ensconced and hidden on top of three hills. Two of the three hills can be seen from the river bed while the third hill lies behind. See the terrain map below. The lake can neither be seen from the Siachen road nor the vast valley. Yarab Tso is not on the normal tourist circuit. Domestic tourists seldom go there (thank God for it! Otherwise the place would be as crowded as Khardung La or Hundar sand dunes!). Tashi, our driver informed us that a few foreign tourists do hike to the lake once in a while.

Significance

Yarab Tso lake is considered sacred and spiritual by the local folks. Bathing, washing or swimming is not permitted. The lake freezes in winter. Being June, the snows had melted all around. 

Our Picture Story follows.

The two explorers in Nubra valley, Ladakh

The hike begins with Ansh in the lead.

The riverbed was not completely dry. My experience told me it could be like quicksand. So I told Ansh to stop and follow me.

Once we crossed the wet part of the riverbed, Ansh was given a green signal to lead again!

In mountain hiking, you need to pause and admire the view as you gain height. Though Nubra valley is barren, yet it has its beauty.

Folks in the hills pile up stones around the roads, paths and trails. These are prayer stones which remain steady till a severe storm topples them.

The rarefied atmosphere of Ladakh was showing its effect on us. Huffing and puffing, we could take few steps before stopping. After catching our breath, we could continue again. It was slow climbing particularly for me at 73 years. Ansh still had spring in his legs at 21!

See the video below of our slow and steady climb.

While we kept going, bend after bend, the lake was nowhere in sight!

At last, the lake appeared from hiding!

A perimeter walkway with tiles is being built around the lake for people to do a 'parikrama' probably!

It was difficlt to find a level spot for the DSLR tripod to take a timer shot. We did find a spot but the camera viewfinder had to rest against a boulder. So, the timer shot had to be like a blind shot! Luckily, the result was not bad!

Thankfully the lake and its approach were devoid of other tourists or hikers. We could not spot any human beings as far as the eyes could see!

It was time to start the descent. Ansh had all the energy. Although I led in the beginning to maintain a steady downward climb, Ansh overtook after a while! I would have done the same at that age!

Other Stories on Ladakh

Given below are the links to our previous stories on Ladakh. Click to browse the pictures and videos.

Blue Skies Lift Your Spirit - Aerial shots as we approach Leh. The blue skies are so uplifting!

Siachen The Highest Battlefield In The World - See the pictures and videos of our drive through the Nubra Valley to Siachen Glacier and the War Memorial. Very humbling experience.

Hope you liked our adventurous hike in a high altitude riverbed in Ladakh. Looking back, it was a risky adventure. Risky because of rarefied atmosphere and fear of catching the pulmonary oedema. But what is life without a bit of risk and adventure? God was with us.

Do leave a comment, even if a few words. It encourages us.

More stories of our adventures in Ladakh are coming up. Stay connected. Thanks for browsing.

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Ansh Bhargava/ Nubra Valley and Secunderabad/ 12th July 2025

#Leh #Ladakh #NubraValley #Siachen #YarabTso #YarabLake #HighAltitude #Hiking #Riverbed #Pamanik #HiddenLake #Trekking #NavyVeteran #Adventure #RiskInLife #Ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #GrandpaGrandson #acclimatisation