How to Play Badminton: A Beginner’s Guide

Badminton has grown in popularity through the years. Over 339 million people worldwide play this exciting game, but what is it? Not everyone is familiar with this unique racquet sport. Badminton is a racket sport often played between two or four people. During this game, teams (doubles) or singles are divided by a net on a long court.

The game is fast and easy to watch. If you ever see a game, try and keep your eyes on the shuttlecock. It's not an easy feat. Shuttlecocks are the small pieces that the players hit across the net. The purpose of this game is to score as many points. Hitting the shuttlecock isn't enough though. It needs to hit the ground on the other side.

Even if you don't recognize the name of the game, you probably know how it's played. Badminton has been a part of the Olympics since 1992. It's also played casually outside during get-togethers, especially at the beach.

The history of this game is fascinating. Although the Badminton World Federation (BWF) was established in 1932, less than a century ago, the sport has over 2,000 years of history. It may have originated from games like Battledore and Shuttlecock. Games with shuttlecock and other small projectiles though aren't new. The modern game was likely first invented and named in 1873. It is named after the location where it was first played.

To write and research this article, 24/7 Tempo consulted various sports sources like the Official Olympics website and Above Sports.

Are you ready to keep learning about this fun sport? Follow along to discover how to play Badminton and more about this sport. Once done, read about how to create the perfect badminton aesthetic.

Before we dive into more about this fun game and its rules, let's discuss the court's dimensions. Badminton courts are typically indoors. They are usually made on a wooden floor with added cushion.

Standard badminton courts are made with the same dimensions set by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The width changes though depending on if the court is for singles or doubles. However, the length for both is 44 feet.

The width of a singles badminton court is 17 feet, while for doubles it's 20 feet. The court is split in half by the net, which is what the players need to strike over. Both sides are 22 feet long by the service line. The net is five feet in height and on the center line. Also, a part of the court is a clearance area, which starts after the back boundary line. The clearance is about 3.2 feet on the sides and a 1.5m (nearly 5 feet) space after the back boundary line.

Now that we have a better understanding of the court and the game's general history, we can dive into the rules. Generally, all games follow the same rules. A match, for instance, includes three games, each up to 21 points. The first team to score 21 points wins the game and gets closer to winning the match. The winning side then gets the next serve.

There are also special rules. For instance, if the players are tied 20-20, a player or team would need to clear two points to win. This gets further complicated if the tie is 29-29. In this case, whoever scores one point wins the game.

After each game, the players also change sides. However, when in the third game, when a player or team scores 11 points, they switch sides.

Points are scored in badminton when a player strikes the shuttlecock and it hits the ground of the other side. However, not all strikes/hits count towards a point. For instance, if the shuttlecock falls outside of the boundary line, the point is not counted.

This is also true if the shuttlecock goes under the net or hits the net. Players also can't score points if they touch the net or strike the shuttlecock twice.

An important part of the game is the start, the serve. But how do you serve when playing badminton? During the serve, the players are still. The player serving hits the shuttlecock below the waist. In both single and double badminton games, the right sight serves first.

The side that continues to serve is the one who scores a point. In doubles, with each point, the team members switch serving one after the other.

You've probably heard of a birdie. A birdie is a high-drag playing piece that is used to play badminton. Often, this piece is called the shuttlecock. The word birdie may also refer to a type of score in golf.

Although not all shuttlecocks are alike, they are generally made using nylon, rubber, or plastic. They are lightweight and fast. It's sometimes made with feathers.

Did you know there is a badminton aesthetic? There are so many cute and fun trends you can enjoy when playing or watching this game. One of the biggest trends is the use of colorful visors. Some even have beautiful patterns. This is also a common trend in golf and tennis.

The badminton aesthetic also includes trendy and comfortable workout/sports clothes. Even if you don't play badminton, you've likely worn sports clothes out, a part of the aesthetic.

Some of the badminton aesthetic revolves around the current best players, one of which is Carolina Marin. She plays indoors and gets creative with her outfits and accessories, often sporting bright colors that match.

The world of sports is a competitive one, this includes badminton. Since it's not a physical touch sport like boxing, hockey, or football, the fights are verbal. A big part of badminton is the trash talk, and wow do people get creative?

Not everyone trash talks though as it's frowned upon. If you're trash-talking your opponent, this could be a sign of your nerves, not your skill. (Interested in learning more about sports? Click here for the most iconic wrestlers in show business.)