The Belfry,

AT yesterday's stage of Ryder Cup week, when the members of the

European and American sides have three extensive sessions available for

practice before a ball is struck with malice aforethought, all the 24

players can do is talk a game. There is something about this period that

resembles a phoney war, the lull before the hostilities.

This unreality was identified by Europe's captain, Bernard Gallacher,

when he said: ''The first few days are enjoyable, the last few not so

much.'' The relaxed atmosphere, the exchange of jokes, the signing of

autographs, the striking of bets, and the discussions on strategy -- all

these on Friday will give way to the sterner demands of the thirtieth

match.

Sam Torrance, approaching his seventh successive encounter, talked of

the strength of the American teams before 1983, when Europe abandoned

being the biennial whipping boy. ''This side of theirs has great

players,'' Torrance observed, ''but none as intimidating as Nicklaus,

Trevino, and Watson. The difference is we'll still be nervous, but not

scared.''

Mark James, in his deadpan fashion, said: ''The only thing that scares

me about the United States is the clothes they wear. This is the

strongest European side of the six I've been a member of -- not a

weakness, except for myself.'' He and Torrance seem likely to form a

matched set.

Perhaps Torrance's description of competing in the match ''that every

hole is like playing the last in the Open championship in contention,''

will restore Josie-Maria Olazabal's dormant self-esteem.

There is no doubt that Olazabal seems to thrive in tandem with

Severiano Ballesteros. They have lost only one of 12 foursomes and four

balls; they alone played throughout yesterday's foursomes practice as

Gallacher changed all his other horses in midstream; they are together

again today; and it seems as if only a stun grenade would put asunder

this Hispanic brotherhood.

Olazabal said, ''We're careful and we never give up.''

Neither did Bernhard Langer, who was watched for six holes by his

captain to see whether the German's neck and shoulder injury was

seriously inhibiting his swing. Gallacher's judgment was that ''he

played well, not like someone who hadn't hit balls for three weeks.''

Langer and Colin Montgomerie made an effective team, as they did in 1991

in a four ball.

Gallacher will stay with his decision, taken on Monday, to wait for an

adverse overnight reaction before he decides, no later than midday that

Langer is fit or whether to call in Ronan Rafferty.

The opposition having recovered from their Concorde flight, also took

to the field with their only walking wounded player evidently fully

mended. Lanny Wadkins, the veteran of seven previous matches, had to

withdraw from the Canadian Open two weeks ago because of a strained

back, from which he has recovered completely.

Tom Watson, the United States leader, more or less confirmed that Fred

Couples and Raymond Floyd, a successful partnership in 1991, are to be

reunited.

Watson declared: ''I want to win, but every European team has more

depth and talent than the one before it. I intend playing to our

strength to gain a quick lead.''

* JOHNNIE WALKER, the title sponsor of the Ryder Cup match, has agreed

to extend its interest to the 1997 contest, which is to played on the

Continent for the first time, somewhere in Spain. In 1995, when the

match is at Oak Hill, Rochester, New York, the company will sponsor the

European team.

* EUROPE'S golf writers beat their American counterparts 6[1/2]-5[1/2]

in the now traditional Ryder Cup week contest yesterday -- and it could

be an omen for Bernard Gallacher's team.

Whichever side has lifted the trophy in the last six years has also

gone on to hold the Ryder Cup aloft.

Europe's hero was John Hopkins, golf correspondent of The Times. In

Bernhard Langer fashion, he faced a six-foot putt on the last green of

the last match -- and holed it.