Blair Barringer (Fairfield) has adopted a different approach to bowls since returning to the sport two years ago.
Barringer (34), a field adviser for the Otago Regional Council, was a talented bowler early this century and was a member of the New Zealand squad in 2005.
In those days he played as often as he could and had given himself a national reputation.
But the demands of his work and family life meant he found it difficult to fit bowls into his busy schedule so he took a break from the sport.
Since returning to bowls, he has put family and work commitments first and only plays a limited amount of bowls.
''The family commitments mean that I can't play in everything,'' he said.
''I've got to pick and choose.''
His wife, Tracey, and children Kaylee (4) and Corbin (2) were at the Kaikorai green to watch Barringer win the title on Wednesday night.
He is not available to play in Bowls Dunedin centre teams and only plays a limited number of games for his club.
''I think it helps me because I'm focused better on the events I play in because I'm not playing as much,'' Barringer said.
''I enjoy the game more and peak for the events instead of playing every weekend. I'm just playing seven or eight times a year.''
At the New Zealand championships, Barringer reached the last 32 in the pairs and the last eight in the fours.
''I couldn't play in the singles because of family commitments. I thought that with limited play coming into the centre open singles I should still be fresh because I haven't had a full programme.''
Barringer's approach to bowls has worked and he played in his fifth Bowls Dunedin final when he trounced clubmate Robbie Thomson in the final of the open singles 21-2.
''It was great to win it by so much, but not against my mate,'' Barringer said. It was the first time Barringer had won a Bowls Dunedin open singles title and it meant a lot to him.
''I don't enjoy singles that much because you're out there on the green by yourself and have to knuckle down. But it's a title I always wanted.''
Barringer started playing bowls 15 years ago and has now won nine centre titles. He just needs one more for a bar to his gold star. He won his first national title in the Fairfield club triples team at the Pathways final at Invercargill last winter.
If Barringer wins the zone six regional final at Balclutha in March, he could be on target to win another national title when the finals are held at the Westpac Indoor Bowls Stadium at Dunedin in June.
The Dunedin final was a one-sided affair with
Barringer controlling play from the start.
He was accurate on the draw and never let Thomson into the game as he won 11 of the 13 ends needed to complete the game.
''I knew I was playing well and I thought I'd have to be on target to beat him,'' Barringer said.
''Even when I led 11-1 I thought he would come right but he never found the rink.''
It was Thomson's second big singles loss in the last month. He was beaten 21-5 by Australian Sean Ingham in the semifinals at the national championships.
But it has been a good 12 months for Thomson who won three of his 14 Bowls Dunedin titles in that time.
It was the second time Thomson had lost the open singles to a clubmate. Mark Cowan beat him 21-9 in 2002.
