Rules of Badminton Court

Though it was traditionally a casual source of recreation, the game of badminton is now an Olympic event, and strict rules govern the setup of the court. Along with more attention to those rules has come along an elevation of the game's seriousness. Anyone can play badminton, and players can set up the court as casually or as strictly as they like.

  1. Court Measurements

    • A badminton court measures 17 by 44 feet for singles play and 20 by 44 feet for doubles play. The three extra feet of width in a doubles game come from 1.5 foot "alleys" on both sides of the court, which are considered out of bounds in a singles game.

    Net

    • As the court is always 44 feet long, the net must always appear 22 feet from the baseline and mark the halfway point. The net should be 5 feet high and stretched tight. Shuttles that land on the net and remain there or become stuck in the net after they pass over it cause the players to restart the previous service without awarding a point.

    Service

    • When serving, players must hit the shuttle so that it lands on the opposite side of the opponent's court and between the long and short service lines. The long service line is the back boundary of the court in singles play and 2.5 feet from the back boundary, closer to the net, in doubles play; the short service line is always 6.5 feet away from the net.