Peyton Manning

When Peyton Manning said during his retirement speech in March, a month after quarterbacking the Denver Broncos to his second career Super Bowl win, that life was not shrinking for him, “it’s morphing into a whole new world of possibilities,” an improved golf game was at least somewhere on his wish list.

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Manning wore No. 18 and played 18 seasons in the NFL, leaving as the league’s all-time leader in career passing yards (71,940), touchdown passes (539) and wins (200). “Eighteen is a good number,” Manning said, “and today I retire from pro football.”

Now when Manning references the number 18, at least throughout our October sit-down at Castle Pines Golf Club near his Denver home, the number is mostly about golf.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER, YOU’VE HAD TIME TO WORK ON YOUR GOLF GAME DURING THE FALL. HOW WELL ARE YOU PLAYING?

I was telling Eli the other day that my 18-year theory is being proven untrue. For all of these years, I’ve thought that once I was able to play in the spring, summer and fall, I’d be able to lower my handicap. But it just isn’t true. I’m the same golfer. I’m not getting any better, and I might even be playing a little worse.

HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING A LOT?

I guess I played a little more this past spring, with not having football and other commitments. And I played in a couple of tournaments in the fall. Played in a pro-and-three members event at Pinehurst with some of the guys from Crooked Stick, and I got invited to a member-guest on the East Coast.

BUT YOU AREN’T PLAYING AS WELL AS YOU’D LIKE?

 I used to compare golf to football, and I’ve stopped doing that. Considering the amount of repetitions I put into football, and knowing the amount of reps the best golfers in the world put into their games . . . I just haven’t had the reps, and I’m probably not willing to put in the reps. I really try to have a good attitude when I play. I don’t get too frustrated, because I know I haven’t put in the time. But, every day I go out thinking, This might be the day I’m gonna shoot a great score.