Badminton is played with lightweight rackets, a feathered shuttlecock and a net just over five feet high. It can be a relaxed backyard game or one of the fastest sports in the world: in elite play the shuttle leaves the racket at more than 400 km/h. This guide explains the court, the scoring, the serve, the equipment and the basic strokes, the knowledge needed to follow a match or step onto a court for the first time.
The court and the net
A badminton court is a rectangle marked for both singles and doubles. Doubles uses the full width; singles uses the inner sidelines, which narrows the court. The length is the same for both, but in doubles the long service line sits closer to the net than the back boundary.
| Measurement | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Doubles court | 13.40 x 6.10 m | 44 x 20 ft |
| Singles court width | 5.18 m | 17 ft |
| Net height at the posts | 1.55 m | 5 ft 1 in |
| Net height at the center | 1.524 m | 5 ft |
| Short service line from the net | 1.98 m | 6 ft 6 in |
The lines belong to the area they enclose, so a shuttle that lands on a line is in.
Scoring
Since 2006, badminton has used rally-point scoring: every rally produces a point, no matter who served. A match is the best of three games, and each game goes to 21 points. At 20-20 a side must lead by two, but the game is capped at 30, so at 29-29 the next point wins.
- The winner of a rally scores a point and serves next.
- Players change ends after each game and when the leading side reaches 11 points in the third game.
- A short interval is allowed when the leader reaches 11 in any game, and a longer break between games.
Older players may remember the previous system: games to 15 points (11 in women’s singles), with points scored only by the serving side. It disappeared with the 2006 reform, which made matches shorter and easier to schedule for television.
Serving
The serve is always played underarm and diagonally into the opponent’s service court. Since 2018 the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 meters from the floor at the moment of impact, a fixed height that replaced the old rule based on the server’s waist and made serves easier to judge.
- The server stands in the right service court when the server’s (or serving side’s) score is even and in the left when it is odd.
- Both feet must stay in contact with the floor until the shuttle is struck.
- In doubles, only the receiver may return the serve, and partners switch sides only when their side wins a point on its own serve.
Most serves at club level are either short, just over the tape to the front service line, or high and deep to the back of the court. Short serves dominate in doubles; high serves are more common in singles.
Faults
A fault ends the rally and gives the point to the opponent. The most common faults are:
- The shuttle lands outside the court boundaries.
- The shuttle fails to pass over the net or passes under it.
- A player touches the net or its supports with the racket, body or clothing while the shuttle is in play.
- The shuttle is hit twice in succession by the same player, or by both partners one after the other.
- A player reaches over the net to strike the shuttle before it has crossed.
- The serve is played above 1.15 meters or outside the correct service court.
Rackets and shuttles
A racket may be no longer than 680 mm and usually weighs 75 to 95 grams without strings. Manufacturers grade weight with the letter U: 3U is about 85 to 89 g, 4U about 80 to 84 g and 5U about 75 to 79 g. Frames are made of carbon fiber (graphite). Higher string tension gives more control for experienced players; lower tension forgives off-center hits and suits beginners.
A competition shuttle has 16 goose or duck feathers fixed in a cork base covered with leather and weighs between 4.74 and 5.50 grams. Feathers break quickly, so recreational players and schools often use nylon shuttles, which last much longer. Shuttles come in speed grades, because warm air and high altitude make them fly farther; a hall that is too warm needs a slower shuttle.
The five events
Tournaments are played in five events: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Singles is about court coverage, patience and endurance. Doubles is faster and more tactical, with rallies built on drives and interceptions.
Doubles pairs switch between two formations. In attack they play front and back: the rear player smashes, the front player covers the net and finishes weak returns. In defense they stand side by side, each covering half the court against the opponents’ smashes. In mixed doubles the classic setup puts the woman at the net and the man at the back, although top pairs rotate freely.
The basic strokes
- Clear: a high, deep shot to the opponent’s back line to gain time or push the opponent back.
- Drop: a soft overhead shot that falls just behind the net and forces the opponent forward.
- Smash: a steep, powerful downward shot and the main attacking weapon. India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy set a Guinness World Record of 565 km/h in a 2023 test.
- Net shot: a delicate touch from close to the net that tumbles over the tape.
- Drive: a flat, fast exchange at around net height, typical of doubles.
- Lift: an underarm shot from the front court that sends the shuttle high to the back, used under pressure.
Good players combine these into patterns: a clear to open the court, a drop to bring the opponent forward, then a smash into the space left behind.
Who runs the sport
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) sets the Laws of Badminton, runs the world ranking and sanctions international events such as the World Championships, the BWF World Tour and the Olympic tournament. It was founded in 1934 as the International Badminton Federation (IBF) and took its current name in 2006.
In the United States, USA Badminton is the national governing body. It sanctions national tournaments, selects national teams and supports clubs and coaches. Regional clubs and many universities offer open play, which is the usual way into the sport.
More on this site: History of Badminton, Badminton Tournaments, Badminton Top Players and badminton and health.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is a badminton net?
1.524 meters (5 feet) at the center and 1.55 meters (5 feet 1 inch) at the posts.
How many points are in a game of badminton?
A game goes to 21 points with rally scoring. At 20-20 a two-point lead is needed, up to a maximum of 30. A match is the best of three games.
Is a shuttle that lands on the line in?
Yes. The lines are part of the court, so a shuttle touching any part of the line is in.
Why is the shuttle so slow after a hard hit?
The feathers create strong drag. A smash leaves the racket at several hundred km/h but loses most of its speed within a few meters, which is why rallies are possible at all.
