EQUIPMENTS/FACILITY
1. Racket
A badminton racket must be lightweight and weigh less than 100g when used. The
racket's frame can consist out of carbon fiber, ceramic, aluminum, or steel. Your racket
shouldn't exceed 680mm in length and 230mm in width.
Parts:
Frame - The body of the racket itself is called the frame. It consists of the head, the
stringed area, the throat, the shaft and the handle. According to BWF laws, the length of
the frame should be no longer than 680 millimeters or wider than 230 millimeters. The
weight of a fully strung frame should be within 80 and 100 grams. Frames can come in
different shapes, with larger or smaller sweet spots, and can be more or less flexible,
depending on the materials used and their construction.
Shaft - The shaft is located in the center of the badminton racket. They usually come in
two types: Flexible or Rigid. Flexible shafts allow the user to hit the shuttle with more
control. Besides balance, your racket's shaft is another important factor to consider. The
correct shaft level depends on your wrist/swing speed. Manufacturers unanimously
agreed to categorize racket shafts as "Flexible," "Medium," or "Stiff."
Throat - The throat connects the head to the shaft of the racket. It might be a separate
triangular piece that's at the base of the head, or might be integrated into the racket's
head itself.
Head - The head of the racket is the ring of material that holds the strings in place. It can
be oval or more rounded, and has holes in its perimeter though which the strings are
laced.
Stringed Area - The stringed area is made up of nylon or carbon fiber string that is
interwoven to form the face of the racket. Its dimensions, according to BWF rules, must
not exceed 280 millimeters in length or 220 millimeters in width.
Butt – Enlarged end of the shaft that prevents the hand from slipping off the handle.
2. Shuttlecock
A cork to which feathers are attached to form a cone shape, or a similar object of plastic,
struck with rackets in the games of badminton and battledore.
A shuttlecock is a conical shaped high-drag projectile used in the game of badminton.
The cone is formed from 16 overlapping goose feathers embedded into a rounded cork base.
The cork is covered with a thin layer of leather. Shuttle, Bird, Birdie are more popular synonyms
of shuttlecock.
Materials Used In Shuttlecock:
Shuttle is made of either natural or synthetic material. Feathered shuttle is natural while plastic
shuttle is synthetic. The characteristics of both shuttles are different.
Shuttlecock
Feathered shuttle are brittle and more prone to damage. It need to be replaced several times
during a game. That's why shuttles made of synthetic materials like plastic are frequently used
these days. But feathered shuttlecocks can be controlled easily so experienced players prefer
feathered shuttle over plastic ones.
Plastic shuttles are very durable and last many matches without any impairment to the flight.
Plastic shuttles can be hit hardly.
A Standard Shuttle
A standard shuttle is made by following the guidelines given by International Badminton
Federation.
The feathers shall have a uniform length between 62mm to 70mm, when measured from tip to
the bottom. The feathers shall be firmly fastened with thread or any suitable material.
The tip of feathers should lie on a circle of diameter between 58mm to 68mm.
The shuttle shall weight from 4.74gm to 5.50gm.
The best Badminton Shuttlecocks are made from feathers from the left wing of a goose.
Types of Badminton Shuttlecocks
Badminton shuttlecocks are usually made of two types of material, feather shuttlecock or
synthetic (plastic or nylon) shuttlecock. Beginners prefer to use synthetic shuttlecocks as they
are more durable and relatively inexpensive compare to the feather shuttlecocks. Feather
shuttlecocks are not long lasting due to the fact that they are made from natural feathers. Wear
and tear such as damaged feathers or loosing a feather on a shuttlecock will affect the flight
stability and need to be replaced. Shuttlecocks can made from goose or duck feathers. Premium
shuttlecocks are said to be made from goose feathers, specifically left wing feathers. Why left
wings? ghost know, maybe most geese are left winged. Other shuttlecock manufacturers also
supply duck feather shuttlecocks that are as good as grade one goose feather shuttlecocks.
Depending on manufacturers, there are 16 or 14 feathers on a shuttlecock. The feathers are
arranged in a overlapping circular manner and attach to a weight at one end which can be
made from natural cork, composite cork or plastic base material. Shuttlecocks come in different
speeds. Some brands use color bands on the base to different speed, green for slow, blue for
medium, and red for high speed. However, temperature can also affect the shuttlecock in-flight
speed. Hot weather tends to make shuttlecocks fly faster while cold weather tends to make
them fly slower. So in colder countries or an air-conditioned competition halls, use a slightly
faster shuttlecock. Choose your speed appropriately to suit the place country you intend to play
.
Synthetic shuttlecocks are cheaper and more durable so they are usually used by novices,
schools and clubs for practicing. Disadvantage of synthetic shuttlecock is that it has bad in-flight
stability but it can last for many practice sessions. As beginners gain more experience in the
game, they can use the feather shuttlecocks to bring their skilled to the next level. Serious
players and skilled players in Singapore are using feather shuttlecocks for their social matches,
training and competitions.
Parts:
Cork tip – (25-28mm)
Feather crown – 16 feathers
Skirt diameter – (52-55mm) , feathers (
3. Net
The badminton net is what evenly separates the badminton court into two sides
creating the objective of trying to make the shuttlecock hit the floor on the opponent's
side to win a point. The net is 1.55 meters (5 ft 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524
meters (5 ft) high in the center. The net posts are placed over the doubles sidelines,
even when singles is played. Badminton nets are made by using various materials, such
as nylon, polyethylene, and vinyl.
4. Badminton court
Overall Court Dimensions - 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.
