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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Robbie Copeland

Sir Alex Ferguson and Walter Smith's golf day gone wrong as Rangers legend 'hammered' old boss for huge dinner tab

The legendary wrath of Walter Smith was something to avoid - but even the great Sir Alex Ferguson didn't manage to escape it after costing his former assistant a fortune playing golf.

The Manchester United icon was famous friends with the late Rangers hero and has shared many a tale about him since his tragic passing in October, delivering a touching speech at his memorial service.

The two shared many games of golf over the years but Fergie was talking about one in particular where he grossly misjudged their opponents.

Ferguson and Smith rocked up at Loch Lomond, where Smith was a member, and set off for 18 rounds with two mystery opponents.

But after laying down a £150 bet and a first hole false dawn, Ferguson and Smith quickly found out that their opponents were playing off scratch - and their helicopter arrival perhaps should have been a giveaway they were no mugs.

Speaking as part of the BBC's Walter: A Life in Football documentary about the great man, Ferguson said: "The best memory I've got of Walter is golfing.

"My golf day had an auction prize. We got £25,000 to play at Loch Lomond. Walter was a member at the time.

"I'm sitting in the lounge at Loch Lomond waiting on these two (opponents) turning up. The tee-off time was something like 10.30.

"Walter's wondering where they are, and all of a sudden a helicopter comes breezing in and the two of them come out with the golf clubs.

"I get to the tee and I say 'what will we do? £50, £50, £50?'

Sir Alex Ferguson and Walter Smith share a golf buggy on a charity golf day at Loch Lomond. (Daily Record)

"Walter looks at me, you know that look he can give you, that glaze as if I'm off my head. The two of them said 'yeah, fine, OK.'

"We play the first hole, we win the first hole.

"We lost the next 17 holes. The both of them were scratch golfers.

"Halfway round it, Walter turns to me and says 'one hundred and fifty quid, what are you thinking about?'

"I said, 'I didn't know they were that good.' He says, 'Well you should have asked them!'

"We go for dinner after and they ordered a bottle of wine for £700 which Walter had to pay for.

"He hammered me for that. He hammered me, never let me forget it."

Walter: A Life in Football airs on BBC One on Thursday December 30.

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