Wagga golfer Charlie Pilon hoping to make the most of his opportunities at University of Michigan

Back home from the United States for Christmas, Pilon hit 18 greens in regulation in starkly different conditions to what he's been used to.

"It's great to get back and catch up with family and friends. I love coming back. It's a bit of a shock to the system going from minus-10 every day to 40-degree heat but there's nothing like home," Pilon said.

The 21-year-old is in his third year at the University of Michigan, studying in the school of kinesiology, majoring in sports management, and hoping to build a career on the golf course when his studies finish in 18 months.

"I'm planning, hopefully, on moving down to Florida with a mate after I graduate and turn pro and give it a crack for a few years," he said.

"If I make it, then great. If I don't, I'll weigh up my options and see whether I stay in America, or come back, or whatever."

That's the dream, only revealed when he's asked about the long term.

Right now, Pilon is living in Ann Arbor, just west of Detroit, concentrating on making the most of his opportunity within the all-powerful American college system.

"It's been three of the best years of my life really. It's been just insane," he said.

"Just keep improving is the ultimate goal for me.

"Each year I've progressively gotten better with my stroke average so I'm moving in the right direction.

"All the professional sport in America - NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL - college is like reserve grade. That's where everyone comes through and the colleges feed into those big four leagues.

"So even with sports like golf and swimming or whatever it may be, you're still playing against the strongest competition in the world basically. The depth over there is incredible."

At home, Pilon would have a handicap of at least plus-two but that's irrelevant where he is now.

The NCAA competitions all count for World Amateur Golf Rankings. He's currently ranked 376, and has been as high as 365.

He said improvement off the tee has helped in the past 12 months but his focus is to maintain a good all-round game and strive for small improvement every season, as he combines study and sport.

"It's pretty hectic, trying to mix it in with school and you're travelling away with the team," Pilon said.

"But it's enjoyable. It's great life experience, and you've got to be pretty disciplined."

The scale of college sport can be mind blowing: University of Michigan's football stadium, 'The Big House', hosts crowds bigger than the MCG. And Pilon has talked with the same sports psychologist who worked with NFL legend Tom Brady.

He's determined to make the most of the opportunities, including his studies, to ensure that if the dream on the fairways doesn't come off, the hard work at college will.

"It's going well. That's why guys go to college sport because you get a scholarship. If you don't make it professionally, or pursue your career in sport, you've got a degree to fall back on."

Pilon has a semester to complete before a long summer break and then will return for his final year at college in 2020-21.

Beyond that, the world's his oyster.

MORE SPORTS NEWS