A long time ago ..
Although the exact origins of badminton are unclear, games based on a shuttlecock and a battledore were played in China, Japan, India, Siam and Greece over 2000 years ago.
Between 1856 and 1859 a game known as ‘battledore and shuttlecock’ started to evolve into the modern game of badminton at “Badminton House”, the Duke of Beaufort’s country estate in England. Similar games were played in Poona India around this time and it was there that the first badminton code of conduct was drawn up in 1877 .
The aim of battledore and shuttlecock played at “Badminton House” was to keep the shuttlecock in the air for as long as possible by hitting the shuttle between two or more people. Oddly enough the goals have reversed with time.
The aim now is to finish a rally as quickly as possible by scoring winning points against your opponent. In 1893, the Badminton Association of England was formed to administer badminton internationally from England.
Equipment
Badminton needs limited personal equipment apart from the court itself.
Shoes
Lot of beginners pay too much attention to the racket. However, the most important equipment a Badminton player has is a good set of badminton shoes. Badminton has lots of quick side-to-side/lateral movements with ever changing direction. It demands a special low base, good gripping shoes with side support. Normal running shoes or sneakers can be dangerous and lead to injuries.
One can find indoor shoes from many manufacturer’s. However, Yonex, Li-Ning, Asics, Victor and Mizuno are few of the top makers of badminton shoes.
Rackets
There is endless variety of rackets available from many different vendors. From beginners to advanced level, there are so many choices available. In addition to that, technology keeps on changing and every year new models are released.
Although choosing a racket is an individual preference, however there are some basics to start with for a good racket. They say old is gold, but it is not always true and especially not in the case of badminton rackets. Although badminton had wooden rackets, but they are not in use anymore. However, if you want to collect it for your antique set, you are free to do so. Similarly, avoid a steel based racket with a T-joint on the frame. They are too heavy and start to move at the head. Pick any single frame carbon fibre badminton racket at least to start with. Beyond it, is all your preference, level of play and your budget. If you are a pro, you can get your customized racket as well!
Shuttles
Of course rackets are useless with a shuttle to play with . There are mainly two types of shuttles available, feather shuttles and nylon ones. Once again there are different brands available, however Yonex leads the market.
Feather shuttles are the standard in all national and international matches governed by the Badminton associations across the world. However, nylon shuttles are the standard for hobby and recreational players simply for their cost benefit.
Playgroud
The court is rectangular and divided into halves by a net. The doubles court is wider than the singles court, but both are of same length. The exception, which often causes confusion to newer players, is that the doubles court has a shorter serve-length dimension.
The net is 1.55 metres (5 ft 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524 metres (5 ft) high in the centre. The net posts are placed over the doubles sidelines, even when singles is played.
The minimum height for the ceiling above the court is not mentioned in the Laws of Badminton. Nonetheless, a badminton court will not be suitable if the ceiling is likely to be hit on a high serve.It is however recommended to have minimum for 7.5m for recreative play and 9.5m for regional competitions.
Type of games
There are 5 different categories in which game of Badminton is played.
- Men’s single
- Women’s single
- Men’s double
- Women’s double
- Mixed double
The basic rules of the game stays the same in all types. However, there is a difference of court size for doubles and singles game. Apart from the size, the strategies that used to play each type of game are different.