Beginning to beat out precious metal, striking head (9)
I believe the answer is:
threshold
'beginning' is the definition.
(e.g. threshold of a dazzling career)
'beat out precious metal striking head' is the wordplay.
'beat out' becomes 'thresh' (thresh can mean to hit violently).
'precious metal' becomes 'gold' (gold is a precious metal).
'striking head' means to remove the first letter (strike out or remove the first letter).
'gold' with its initial letter taken off is 'old'.
'thresh'+'old'='THRESHOLD'
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for threshold that I've seen before include "Starting point for a new experience" , "Doorstep" , "Doorway, entrance" , "Lower limit" , "Sill of house door" .)