Since then , the Virginia Beach resident , who won four VSGA Amateur titles , has competed in 160 professional tournaments in 44 different countries . He has played on the European Tour , PGA Tour Canada , PGA Tour Latinoamerica and the Challenge Tour , with a victory and several top-10 finishes .

He also won Monday qualifying and made the cut at his first-ever PGA Tour event , the Wyndham Championship , last August . And he was holding his own until a quadruple-8 on Sunday scuttled something better than just playing on the weekend .

Normally , you would say that you cannot put a price tag on that type of experience — except that now you can .

Paolini ’ s venture “ Performance Coaching for Golf ” focuses on practice and preparation strategies and on-course tactics he has learned from industry leaders and , frankly , the school of hard knocks .

Clients can choose from a variety of packages : mental toughness training , a full-day assessment and practice planning . He will meet with a player ’ s “ team ,” ( caddie , family members , other coaches ) to identify areas of improvement and how to tackle them . There are even more advanced training strategies , depending on skill level , as well as free quick fixes for continuing clients . A more detailed explanation of offerings can be found at brinsonpaolini . com / coaching .

“ I think it is unique ,” Paolini said . “ It ’ s a combination of my experiences and all the coaching that I ’ ve had over the years . There ’ s a bit of a disconnect . . . Technique is very important , and everybody should have a coach or an instructor . By the same token , so much goes into playing your best : pre-shot routine , how you practice , your

Brinson Paolini Monday qualified for last year ’ s Wyndham Championship and made the cut on the number .

course management . Those are things that at times in my career I ’ d struggle with . So that ’ s why I call it ‘ performance coaching .’ The goal is to help people shoot lower scores and get more enjoyment out of the game .”

Among Paolini ’ s early clients are junior golfers , kids and teens with goals as varied as playing on the PGA Tour to earning a college scholarship to being more competitive in their high school district tournament .

“ Their dream , wherever they want it to take them , I want to help them get there ,” he said .

Paolini , whose playing career is a testament to perseverance , is clear that this latest venture should not be interpreted as waving a white flag at his long-held dream . “ My playing is still number one ,” he said . Now 30 , he admitted that he wished his career was more advanced . But he quickly added that he wouldn ’ t give up what he ’ s experienced playing everywhere in the world .

“ It ’ s been an unbelievable journey ,” he said .

Paolini ’ s 2020 season was fractured when the coronavirus pandemic caused many tournaments to be canceled . Paolini was hit with it , and while he described his case as “ mild ,” he lost his ability to taste for two months and was plagued with bouts of low energy .

But it led him to enter the Monday qualifier for the Wyndham . The tournament may define what he meant when he said , “ I ’ ve come very , very close to taking the next step at multiple times in my career .”

He played well for 71 of the 72 holes , striking his irons better than ever . And he made a tough uphill , left-to-right breaking 8-foot par putt on his 36th hole to make the cut on the number .

But the weather Sunday changed to wet , cool with wind completely different from the first three days . Tournament officials moved up the second tee , changing Paolini ’ s club selection from driver to 3-wood , which he tried to fade into the wind . Instead , the ball hit the cart path and rolled out of bounds — by one foot .

His provisional again hit the cart path and again rolled OB — by 12 inches . He hadn ’ t hit a ball out of bounds in years . He made par with his third ball but finished with a 4-over 74 and a check for $ 13,120 , $ 7,000 less than had he made par on the hole .

“ Professional golf is all about creating opportunities for yourself and taking advantage of them ,” he said . “ That week , I created an opportunity , and I was really close to taking advantage of it . So , for me , the key going forward is to create more opportunities .”

And if he can guide someone to create more opportunities for themselves , all the better .

ASSOCIATED PRESS