AFP, LOS ANGELES: When it comes to connecting, Fred Couples prefers face-to-face to Facebook.
The 51-year-old former Masters champion admits he's not really up to speed with Twitter, Facebook and the like, despite the increasing use of social networking sites by athletes in a wide array of sports.
"Is it called twittering or tweeting?" Couples asked, when asked if he would be going on-line to update fans on the fact that he had seized the second-round lead at the PGA Northern Trust Open on Friday.
"I don't even know what Facebook is," said Couples, whose keeps his cyber-communication to telephone text messaging.
And even if he did master Twitter, Couples added, "What information do I hve for my 500,000 followers? I'm 51, I live in the desert. They all know that already."
Perhaps it's not surprising that Couples, who will captain the US Presidents Cup team taking on a team of international stars at Royal Melbourne on November 17-20, has started his early season scouting in a more personal style.
"Steve Stricker I've seen, and talked to a few other guys, talked to Rickie Fowler a couple times," Couples said. "There will be some young guys. Obviously Mark Wilson and DA Points are off to a great start (in 2011).
"For right now, it's just kind of interesting to look at some guys just to see how they hit it and how good they are," added Couples, who expects the focus on the event to intensify after the British Open in July.
Whatever the eventual makeup of the US squad, Couples said one thing was certain: he won't be a playing captain.
"No way," Couples said, adding that even another US tour victory here wouldn't sway him.
