4 Elements of Badminton

Badminton is a game that looks quite a bit like tennis, but uses different rules and equipment. Overseas, especially in Asia, badminton is a highly competitive sport. In the U.S., badminton is a more casual game that nearly anyone can jump in on and play for a while, making it an excellent choice for a backyard barbeque or summer gathering. If you want to try adding a badminton game to your next event, you will need to understand some of the core elements of the game before you pick up a racquet and start swatting at shuttlecocks.

  1. Racquets

    • Badminton racquets are similar in shape to most other racquets you encounter in other sports, with minor differences. Badminton racquets generally have smaller handles, as they are designed to be wielded with one hand. Additionally, the shaft of a badminton racquet is much longer than that of a tennis racquet, with a smaller and more circular head. Badminton racquets are designed for use with light shuttlecocks and you will break the strings on your racquet if you attempt to use it to hit a ball.

    Shuttlecocks

    • The shuttlecock is the projectile in every badminton game. The goal of each game is keeping the shuttlecock airborne and the shuttle is designed to accommodate this goal. The cork core of the shuttlecock absorbs the energy from your swing and bounces the shuttle back into the air, while the conical tail slows the shuttle and brings it back towards the ground with the right orientation. Tails can be made of plastic or feathers, with feather shuttles running a bit higher in price.

    The Net

    • Just as in tennis or ping-pong, badminton centers on getting a projectile over a net. However, in badminton, the net is not anchored to the ground, but is instead suspended in the air. In an official badminton game, the top of the net should sit at 5 feet in the center and 5 feet 1 inch at the support poles. The net needs to be at least 20 feet long to cover the entire width of the court and is placed at the line that directly divides the 44-foot long court in half, leaving 22 feet of playable space on either side.

    Basic Rules

    • Before your start a game, you must complete a quick volley with another player. The winner of this “toss” chooses to serve first or pick one side of the court; the loser gets to choose the remaining option. All badminton matches run until one side wins the best of three games. To win a game, one side must score 15 points and only the serving team can earn points. You serve from the right when the opponent's score is even and from the left when your opponent’s score is odd. After you serve, the shuttle is bounced from one side to the other until it hits the ground. The serving team scores a point if the opponent drops the shuttle, while the receiving team earns serve privileges if the serving team drops it. Points and serve changes are also issued when the shuttle lands in the net or out of bounds.