A man who stabbed his mate at a golf course north of Melbourne, leaving him clinging to life, will spend at least 10 months behind bars.

The County Court today heard it wasn’t the first time Matthew McKay had attacked a friend.

He’d been drinking with two mates, watching the Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather boxing bout, when they decided to go to the Broadford Golf Club in August last year.

Things turned nasty when the 31-year-old began stomping golf balls into the green and the trio began arguing.

The argument prompted McKay to go back to his car and get a flick-knife.

He returned and stabbed one mate in the thigh, causing him to gush blood.

Judge Frank Gucciardo said the man would be dead if it wasn’t for first aid and a major blood transfusion in hospital.

The court heard McKay had been fined for a similar attack, in which he stabbed a woman in the thigh at a pub in Western Australia in 2010.

He sobbed as he was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison.

McKay will eligible for parole after 10 months.

3AW Reporter Stefanie Waclawik was at the County Court.