Was it a home course advantage, or were the Americans

just better golfers? It depends on who you ask. With a final score of

13- and -a- half to 10 -and- a-half, the 11-member American team

edged out the visiting British team Friday to win what participants

have dubbed the amateur Ryder Cup.

This marked the fifth year golfers from both sides of the

pond have gathered during the first week of October to play. The 1998

tour was played on some of the areas finest courses including

Planterra Ridge Golf Club, Braelinn Golf Club and Whitewater

Country Club. The group also played White Oak Golf Club in Newnan

and Chapel Hills in Douglasville. Next year, the Americans will play

in England.

But according to local golfer Cliff Manus, who hosted

Simon Goddard of England, the annual pilgrimage is about more than

golf. It,s more about camaraderie, he said. The friendly

competition started when a group of Delta employees and British

Airways employees took advantage of an airline bridge tour five years

ago. The group has grown to a total of 20 American and British

players this year.

Next October, the Americans will head for the course

at Burnham Beeches near Windsor Park for a renewal of

friendships and a steady diet of golf.

Players on the Cannongate Club Team were Kirt Allen,

Dick Steele, Mike Culver, Hoyt DeGroot, Dave Fowler,

Pat Hilton, Cliff Manus, Mike McGowan, Tom Burke, Lee

Abbey and Leon Hardeman.

From Burnham Beeches: Nathan Hammonds, Simon Goddard, Rick Thomas,

Simon Hatcher, Scott Macrae, Tim Davies, Colin Reed, Peter

Lyall and Gordon Burwood.

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