Arkansas has some of the most scenic golf courses throughout the state, and Greystone Country Club and Golf Course possesses all the criteria to be among the top ten elite of them. However, the course has had its share of misfortune when in 2012 it sold through public auction.
The comeback and success of the winning 18-hole golf course owes much of its achievement to Welsh Pro Golfer Richard Johnson who became co-owner of the course with Jim Cooper in 2012.
Johnson has made several improvements in the country club, but says he would like to see its’ member number increase. “Greystone is a semi-private club with 285 members and we are open to the public also.”
Born and raised in Cardiff Wales, Johnson said he has seen his share of golf courses. He watched his father Peter Johnson play and notes that is where his first inspiration came from.
“My dad’s a PGA Professional so I lived around the golf course when I was a kid. When I turned 10 that was the first time you were allowed to play in the U.K. so, off I went into the sport.”
Johnson won his first big tournament, the British Boys Championship when he was 13 years old, and he notes he still remembers how good it felt.
“Winning is part of a process. It is just something that happens. It’s more of the pride and continuing to get better that manages you to win, and makes you feel good about it.”
Johnson has won several tournaments including four PGA tour sanctioned tournaments. He represented Wales in the World Cup in 2008, and became the second golfer in the 2009 Michael Hill New Zealand Open to score a hole-in-one on a par.
Golf is a highly competitive sport and according to Johnson, you have to be willing to work hard to become good at the sport…
Sports Psychologist, Justin Hill has been teaching golf for more than a decade and says it is not enough to be physically in shape for the sport. In addition, Hill insists there must be a level of positive energy and belief in oneself to be successful in Golf. “Some people give up after one loss because they can not except failure. But for those who are willing to keep at it and train hard mentally and physically, they will succeed.”
Johnson continues to find time to play golf in spite of his busy schedule of managing and hosting events at the Country Club. And he insists, in spite of a shoulder injury he will continue to swing as long as he can. “I love playing Golf. Always have, and always will.”
