Badminton
A pre-strung racket, a tube of nylon shuttles and a drop-in at a city gym. The first sessions are about clears, a low serve and games to 21.
What it is like
Badminton is played with light rackets and a shuttlecock over a net set higher than a tennis net, on a court 13.4 metres long. The shuttle never bounces: every rally is played in the air, and every rally scores.
It is one of the easiest sports to start indoors. Recreation centres run cheap drop-in sessions, and a pre-strung racket and a tube of nylon shuttles are all you need to buy. The skills come quickly at first: high clears, a low serve, and moving back to the centre after every shot.
From there, doubles is where most people play, with its own court lines and tactics, and clubs run leagues and tournaments by level. Garden badminton is a different, gentler game, because the wind decides where the shuttle goes.
The shuttle travels fast and at eye height near the net, so sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses are worth wearing, along with proper court shoes and a warm-up.
- A session
- An hour or two at a drop-in.
- A week
- One to three sessions once you are hooked.
- Season
- All year indoors.
Indoors or out · For two, A club, With kids
Kinds and styles
One against one on the narrower court; long rallies and a lot of running.
Two against two on the full width, with a shorter serve length.
One man and one woman a side; an Olympic event since 1996.
Rotating games at recreation centres and clubs.
A casual outdoor game over a net in the garden or park, wind permitting.
Is it for you?
You will probably love it if
- You want a fast indoor sport you can play all year
- There is a recreation centre or club with courts near you
- You like quick footwork and reflexes
Maybe not, if
- Quick lunges and jumps are hard on your knees
- You want to play outdoors; wind makes real badminton difficult
- You have nobody to play with and no club nearby
What to buy first
- 01Pre-strung badminton racketSold strung and ready; ask whether your gym has rackets to borrow for a first tryFind it on Amazon$85
- 02Tube of six nylon shuttlesNylon lasts far longer than feather for practice and casual playFind it on Amazon$15
- 03Gym drop-in sessionA court, a net and other players$5
- Everything you need to beginAbout $30 a month after that$105
Typical US prices for entry-level gear, rounded. Last checked October 2026. How we get the numbers
The Amazon links open a search for that type of item, not a product chosen for us, and the prices in the list are our typical figures, or the listing of the shop a line names, not Amazon's price for any listing. If you buy through one we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
What to buy next
- 01Protective sports glassesPolycarbonate lenses, as the American Academy of Ophthalmology advises for racquet sportsFind it on Amazon First session
- 02Indoor court shoesNon-marking soles and grip for lungesFind it on Amazon First month
- 03OvergripsA dry handleFind it on Amazon First month
- 04Racket bagRacket, shuttles, shoes and water togetherFind it on Amazon Once you play weekly
- 05Feather shuttlesThe shuttles used in competitionFind it on Amazon For club matches
No prices here on purpose: these are later buys, and what to spend depends on how far the hobby has taken you. The Amazon links work like the ones above: a search for the type of item, and a possible commission for us at no extra cost to you.
From your first rally to a game to 21, step by step
Badminton takes its name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire, and its first rules were written in 1873 (Wikipedia). This guide goes from finding a drop-in and the right racket, shuttles, shoes and eye protection to the clear, the legal serve, scoring and doubles.
Warning: Before you start The American Academy of Ophthalmology advises protective sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses for racquet sports, tested to ASTM standards; regular eyeglasses do not protect the eyes and can make an injury worse if they shatter, and most serious sports eye injuries could be prevented with appropriate eyewear. Warm up before playing, since cold muscles are more prone to injury (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons), wear non-marking court shoes with good grip, and keep the floor clear of shuttles. We do not give medical advice; see a doctor about pain that does not go away.
City gyms run them; Merced, California, charges $5 a day, and Bellevue, Washington, $4 for residents and $5 for others.
Non-marking court shoes for grip; the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends polycarbonate sports glasses for racquet sports.
Clears to the back of the court, letting the shuttle drop before you hit it again.
Hit the shuttle below 1.15 m, from your service court into the one diagonally opposite, past the short service line (Wikipedia, Badminton).
Every rally scores; 21 points win a game, with a two-point lead up to a golden point at 29-29.
The court and the serve
From above: a court 13.4 m long and 6.1 m wide with the net across the middle, the short service lines 1.98 m from the net, the doubles long service lines near each back boundary, the singles sidelines inside the doubles ones, and a serve from the near right service court going diagonally past the far short service line.
- A Long service line Doubles only 0.76 m inside the back. Step 8 →
- B Short service line 1.98 m from the net The serve must pass it. Step 5 →
- C Net 1.524 m in the centre 1.55 m at the posts. Step 4 →
- D Singles sideline 5.18 m wide court Doubles uses 6.1 m. Step 8 →
Steps 1-2Before you play
- Step 1 of 8 · Before you play
Find a drop-in
Recreation centres run drop-in badminton; Merced, California, charges $5 a day, and Bellevue, Washington, $4 for residents and $5 for others.
Most people: a city gym drop-in (first time).
Start here A city gym drop-inBest forFirst time
Cheap, with nets up and other players.
A clubBest forRegular play
Coaching, leagues and players at your level.
The gardenBest forFun, not practice
Wind blows the shuttle off line.
- Step 2 of 8 · Before you play
Racket, shuttles, shoes and glasses
Warning: CAUTION Regular eyeglasses do not protect the eyes and can make an injury worse if they shatter (AAO).
A pre-strung racket, a tube of nylon shuttles, non-marking court shoes, and sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses, which the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends for racquet sports.
Steps 3-7On court
- Step 3 of 8 · On court
Warm up
A few minutes of light movement and gentle stretches; cold muscles are more prone to injury (AAOS).
- Step 4 of 8 · On court
Rally with clears
Hit high, deep clears back and forth, moving back to the centre of the court after each shot.
- Step 5 of 8 · On court
Serve
Stand inside your service court and serve diagonally into the opposite one; the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m when you hit it, and it must pass the short service line (Wikipedia, Badminton).
Goes wrong: Touching the boundary lines before the serve is hit. Server and receiver stay inside their courts.
- Step 6 of 8 · On court
Keep score
Every rally scores. A game goes to 21 with a two-point lead; at 29-29 the next point wins. In singles you serve from the right when your score is even and from the left when it is odd.
- Step 7 of 8 · On court
Add the drop and the smash
Mix soft drops that fall just over the net with steep smashes once your clears are reliable.
Step 8Keep going
- Step 8 of 8 · Keep going
Keep going
Play doubles, join a club and enter local tournaments.
Most people: doubles with a regular partner (most players).
Start here Doubles with a regular partnerBest forMost players
The full court width and a shorter serve length.
Club leagues and tournamentsBest forA goal
Matches against players at your level.
In shortIf it goes wrong
- Touching the boundary lines before the serve is hit.
- Step 5 · Serve
How you get better
- Day 1A drop-in session
Clears, a legal serve and a few games to 21.
- First monthYour own racket
Drop shots and moving back to the centre.
- First seasonDoubles
Attack and defence formations with a regular partner.
- After thatYour own direction
Club leagues, tournaments, or the same friendly games every week.
- High serve
- Low serve
- Clear
- Drop shot
- Smash
- Net shot
- Footwork to the corners
- Rally scoring
- Doubles rotation
Small things that help
- Hit clears high and deep to buy time.
- Return to the centre of the court after every shot.
- Serve below waist height; the rule is the whole shuttle below 1.15 m.
- In singles, serve from the right when your score is even and from the left when it is odd.
- Keep your racket up between shots.
- Wear eye protection, especially if you play doubles at the net.
Beginner mistakes
- 01Serving too highThe whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m when you hit it.
- 02Standing on the lines when servingServer and receiver stay inside their service courts, off the lines, until the serve is hit.
- 03Flat, short clearsThey give the opponent an easy smash. Hit high and deep.
- 04Playing in glassesRegular glasses can shatter when hit; sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses are safer (AAO).
- 05Skipping the warm-upCold muscles are more prone to injury (AAOS).
The court, the serve and the score
From the Laws of Badminton as Wikipedia's badminton article summarises them.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Court | 13.4 m long; 6.1 m wide for doubles, 5.18 m for singles |
| Net | 1.524 m high in the centre, 1.55 m at the edges |
| Short service line | 1.98 m from the net; the serve must pass it |
| Serve | The whole shuttle below 1.15 m when hit; diagonally into the opposite service court |
| Game | 21 points with rally scoring; two clear points, or 30 at 29-29; best of three games |
Why people quit
- 01Rallies end too fastBeginners hit flat and short. Practise high, deep clears with a partner first.
- 02Shuttles keep breakingFeather shuttles wear out quickly; nylon ones last much longer for practice.
- 03Nobody at your levelClubs and beginner clinics group players by level.
Words you will meet
- Shuttlecock
- The projectile: traditionally sixteen feathers in a cork base, or a nylon skirt.
- Clear
- A high, deep shot to the back of the opponent's court.
- Drop shot
- A soft shot that falls just over the net.
- Smash
- A steep, powerful downward shot.
- Short service line
- The line 1.98 m from the net that a serve must pass.
- Long service line
- In doubles, the line 0.76 m inside the back boundary that limits the serve.
- Rally scoring
- A point on every rally, whoever served.
- Golden point
- The single point that decides a game at 29-29.
Questions people ask
Do I need my own racket?
Not if you can borrow one for a first try; a pre-strung Yonex Play racket costs $85 at Badminton Warehouse.
Nylon or feather shuttles?
Nylon for practice and casual play; a tube of six Yonex Mavis 300 or 350 costs $14 to $15. Feather shuttles are for competition.
How does scoring work?
Every rally scores; a game goes to 21 with a two-point lead, capped by a golden point at 29-29, and a match is best of three.
Do I need eye protection?
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends protective sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses for racquet sports.
Why is it called badminton?
After the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton House in Gloucestershire, though why or when is unclear.
Where to go next
- 01Table tennisFast reflexes on a smaller scale. $47 to start
- 02TennisA bigger court and a ball that bounces. $214 to start
How it compares
| Badminton | Tennis | Table tennis | Pickleball | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start cost | $105 | $214 | $47 | $88 |
| Each month | $30 | $50 | $40 | $50 |
| Space | A gym court | A tennis court | A club or a room with a table | A pickleball court |
| Noise | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| First result | 1 drop-in session | A few lessons before real rallies | 1 drop-in session | 1 drop-in session |
| Mess | Nothing to clean | Nothing to clean | Nothing to clean | Nothing to clean |
Where to learn more
- 01Wikipedia: BadmintonThe court, the serve and the scoring in detail.
- 02American Academy of Ophthalmology: Sports eye safetyWhy and what eye protection for racquet sports.
- 03City of Bellevue: Drop-in sportsAn example of city drop-in badminton.
Sources: Wikipedia, Badminton · American Academy of Ophthalmology, Sports eye safety · American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: Tennis injury prevention · City of Merced, Badminton open gym · City of Bellevue, Drop-in sports · Badminton Warehouse, Yonex rackets and shuttles
Researched and written by the Fjords Team.