By BARBARA S. ROTHSCHILD
Courier-Post Staff
MEDFORD

The Arts & Business Partnership of Southern New Jersey plans to bring together the area's business and artistic communities at the third annual "Performance on the Course Golf Outing" at Medford Village Country Club on Monday.

The event is the partnership's biggest fund-raiser and best opportunity to network, according to Pat Chamberlain, who is the executive director of the ABP.

"In a golf setting, business people feel really comfortable bringing clients and contacts to learn about the arts in South Jersey. It's a fun day when the golfers are not too intense, and they come to realize the arts are a part of everyday life," she explained.

The tournament, presented by the law firm of Archer & Greiner, has at least 25 local businesses participating in the event with teams of four golfers.

Each business pays $600 a team sponsorship.

The day begins with a jazz-accompanied luncheon at noon. While players golf from 1 to 6 p.m., they'll be met by artists at every step: a string quartet at the beverage station, landscape painters at each tee, a mural painter at the clubhouse and dramatic sketches at a 6 p.m. reception.

South Jersey Performing Arts Center Executive Director Barbara Fenhagen doesn't golf, but loves driving a cart across the course.

"To create an event the business world is very accustomed to so that the arts are a part of it is another way of fulfilling our mission. It's wonderful to bring the arts into that beautiful outdoor setting I wouldn't miss it, even though I don't play golf," she said.

APB Golf Committee Chairman Bob Montgomery of Decisive Business Systems in Cherry Hill said the art makes this tournament unique for the participants.

"It brings a lot of business-people out to do what they like to do - play golf - but also gives the arts a lot more visibility throughout our region," he said.

Clients he invited to previous tournaments have now become sponsors, he added.

Awards to be distributed at the reception include tickets to performances by local musical and theatrical groups. The grand prize for making a hole in one during the tournament is a 2001 Subaru Forester.

Non-golfers may purchase tickets for the reception only for $35.

For more information regarding the tournament, call ( 856) 216-7105.