Paying his very own tribute to the great man, whose death on Sunday, shocked the nation, Mr Alliss told The Herald: “Terry has been a dear family friend for over 40 years and became godfather to our youngest son Henry, who is now golf manager at Old Thorns.
“He was a lovely person and both our wives, Jackie and Helen, got on very well with each other.
“As a golfer Terry was quite ordinary, but he did set a world record for the longest successful golf putt ever televised, which he holed from 100ft at Gleneagles in a pro-celebrity TV programme in 1981, a challenge given by me.
“Jackie and I met up with Terry and the family before Christmas and he said he had a little back trouble, which turned out to be a tumour that spread and very quickly took his life.
“Terry was never a complainer. He said when it’s my time, I’ll pitch my tent and go quietly – which is exactly what he did.
“He loved golf and tennis and was a great supporter of myself and Jackie’s charity golf work. He came along to the opening of Old Thorns golf course in 1982, which included the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Isao Aoki and Bill Rogers.
“Terry also came along to help me open the golf club at the little golf course at St Edmund’s School, in Hindhead, in 1995, and we both played a round with the children afterwards. Terry was a dear friend and my family and I will miss him terribly.”
Sir Terry famously enjoyed “the luck of the Irish”, when he teamed up with Mr Alliss to play a challenge match on the St Edmund’s nine-hole golf course to celebrate the opening of the school golf club in 1995.
Deputy head teacher Toby Wright, who was a science teacher at the time, vividly recalled the visit.
He told The Herald this week: “By the time Sir Terry, who was playing tail-end Charlie, reached the ninth there was a small crowd of golfers and excited parents and pupils gathered around the back of the green to watch Sir Terry play out his game.
“He made his club selection, which as it turns out was very poor, and then played a shot that was far too hard.
“His ball sailed high over the flag and into the top of a tall Wellingtonia tree about 15 metres behind the green.
“It struck the trunk, before appearing to bounce off every branch in the tree as it fell to earth. It dropped onto the gravel driveway below.
“The ricochet off the uneven stones could have sent the ball anywhere. As it was however, it ended up pitching onto the green and rolling to a stop about 12 inches from the hole.
“Sir Terry was delighted with the outcome and merely put it down to ‘the luck of the Irish’ and ‘the leprechaun up the tree’.
“Once he had putted out and shook hands with his opponents he made his way across to the delighted audience, engaging in conversation with them like they were old friends.”
TV presenter Chris Evans, owner of The Mulberry Inn, at Chiddingfold, was Sir Terry’s BBC Radio 2 successor and described him on Monday, as his “Radio Dad”. They became friends shortly after Evans returned to host the Radio 1 breakfast show in April 1995, while Sir Terry fronted Wake Up To Wogan on Radio 2.
Evans dedicated his Monday morning show to Sir Terry, who died aged 77, and recalled a memorable invitation for lunch and a round of golf, which turned into dinner.
He said: “When it got to around 10.30, I suggested I should go. He wanted to know what was wrong and I pointed out we both had to get up early in the morning for our breakfast shows. I got up at 4.30 so that I could prepare my show.
“At that point he looked at me and said it doesn’t matter how much you prep, people either like you or they don’t.”