HISTORY OF BADMINTON

The game of badminton is thought to be approximately 2000 years old. Early versions
were played in China, Greece, and India. It strongly resembles a game called
Battledore and Shuttlecock, which was played by the British upper class in the 17th
century.

This early version of the game did not use a net, and the goal of the game was to keep
the shuttlecock in the air for as long as possible. British officers posted in India likely
brought the modern game home with them in the 19th century. The first game of note
was played at the country estate of the Duke of Beaufort, which was named
Badminton House.

 Badminton is a rocket sport that is played on a court.

 Played with a shuttlecock (bird)
 Can be played single or double. The objective is to hit the shuttlecock over the
net.
 Originated in India
 Called “POONA” in India during the 18th Century and the British Army Officers
stationed there took the Indian version back to England in the 1860’s.
 In England it was called, “Badmintin”.
 In 1934, the International Badminton Federation (IBF) was organized.
 First contested as an official Olympic sport at the 1992 Olympic Games in
Barcelona, Spain.
GEARS AND EQUIPMENTS
To play badminton, players will need a net, a shuttlecock, and at least two
rackets. The net crosses the center of the badminton court. It needs to be 5 feet
1 inch high at both ends and 5 feet high in the center. The posts must be at the
farthest sidelines, 20 feet apart, for both singles and doubles play.

Rackets may be made of lots of materials, but modern badminton rackets are
usually made of a carbon fiber composite. A square head is traditional, but
many use an oval head shape now. The length must be no more than 680
millimeters and width must be no more than 230 mm. The head must be no
more than 280 mm in length and 220 mm in width.

Racket and shuttlecocks

The shuttlecock (also called a shuttle or a birdie) has a round base, usually
made of cork, covered in a thin layer of leather or other material. Stuck into the
base are sixteen feathers in a traditional shuttle. Most modern shuttles use
plastic ''feathers'' instead because they are less expensive and sturdier.

DIMENSIONS OF THE COURT

The overall dimensions of a badminton court is 20 feet by 44 feet. The lines
along these measurements mark the sidelines for doubles play and long service
lines for singles play.

The Net Line

The net line marks the middle of the court where the net is placed, creating a 22
feet by 20 feet area on each side of the net.

Short Service Line

The short service line is marked 6 feet 6 inches (some are marked 7 feet) from
the center line. The area inside the short service line is also called the Non
Volley Zone.

Center Line
The Center Line is the line that divides the court from the Short Service Line to
the Back Boundary Line. This delineates the Left from Right Service Court.
Side Line for Singles Play
The Singles Side Line is marked 1 1/2 feet from the edge of the outer boundary
(doubles side line)

Back Boundary Line and Long Service Line for Singles

The back boundary line is the same for singles and doubles play it is the
outermost back line on the court.

Long Service Line for Doubles

The Long Service line for Doubles is marked 2 1/2 feet inside the Back
Boundary Line.

The Badminton Net

The badminton net measures 5 feet tall in the center.
OUTFIT
Ideally, wear polyester materials instead of cotton materials! Polyester t-shirts
are light and have a quick drying function. They absorb a small amount of your
body sweat and gets dry very quickly. All professional badminton players today
wear polyester shirts and pants!
 RULES AND REGULATIONS

Rules of the Game

Two or four people can play the game - two for singles and four for doubles. The
players use their rackets to rally the shuttle, or pass the shuttle from side to side over
the net. If Team A fails to return a rally, that is a point for Team B.

The game is played to 21 points. If the score is tied at 20 points, teams play until one
side leads by two points (i.e., 21-23). If the score is tied at 29 points, whoever makes
the next point wins. A team wins the match when they win two out of three games.

The court is a 44-foot-long rectangle with a net at the midpoint. It should be 20 feet
wide for doubles and 17 feet wide for singles. In practice, courts tend to be 20 feet
wide with an inner line marking the sideline for singles. On each half of the court there
is a left and right service court, a short service line, and a back service line.

The Laws of Badminton

The Laws of Badminton and Competition Regulations in the BWF Statutes
provide the detail on every aspect of the game of badminton.

Below is a brief overview - simplified rules.

Scoring System

A match consists of the best of 3 games of 21 points.

Every time there is a serve – there is a point scored.
The side winning a rally adds a point to its score.
At 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins that game.
At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins that game.
The side winning a game serves first in the next game.
Interval and Change of Ends
When the leading score reaches 11 points, players have a 60 second interval.
A 2 minute interval between each game is allowed.
In the third game, players change ends when the leading score reaches 11
points.
Singles
At the beginning of the game (0-0) and when the server’s score is even, the
server serves from the right service court. When the server’s score is odd, the
server serves from the left service court.
If the server wins a rally, the server scores a point and then serves again from
the alternate service court.
If the receiver wins a rally, the receiver scores a point and becomes the new
server. They serve from the appropriate service court – left if their score is odd,
and right if it is even.

Doubles
A side has only one ‘set’.
The service passes consecutively to the players as shown in the diagram.
At the beginning of the game and when the score is even, the server serves
from the right service court. When it is odd, the server serves from the left court.
If the serving side wins a rally, the serving side scores a point and the same
server serves again from the alternate service court.
If the receiving side wins a rally, the receiving side scores a point. The receiving
side becomes the new serving side.
The players do not change their respective service courts until they win a point
when their side is serving.