Badminton is a remarkable sport that is included in the Summer Olympic games. The object is to volley a small object, called a shuttle, back and forth over a raised net until it cannot be returned, thereby scoring points. Badminton is played on a court that is laid out for both singles and doubles competition. There are four primary pieces of equipment required for badminton. They are the racket, the shuttle, the net and the posts. Rules governing sanctioned play are defined by the Badminton World Federation or BWF.
Court
The overall dimensions of a badminton court are 20 feet wide by 44 feet long. The net line is in the middle of the length of the court, where the net is placed. A center line divides the court in half along its length. There are two long service lines at each end of the court. The outer line is the long service line for singles and also serves as the back boundary line. The inner line is the long service line for doubles. Farther toward the net is the short service line. On the sides of the court are two lines. The outer line is the sideline for doubles; the inner line is the side line for singles. The areas that are bounded lengthwise by the long and short service lines and widthwise by the sidelines and the center line are called the left and right service courts, respectively.
Racket
The racket resembles a tennis racket, only much lighter in build. The handle is attached to a slender rod called the shaft. The shaft is attached to the throat, which holds the head of the racket. The entire racket assembly is referred to as the frame. The head is strung with interwoven synthetic string in much the same way a tennis racket is strung, and is no bigger than 280 mm in length and 220 mm in width. The total length of the racket should be within 680 mm, and within 230 mm total width.
Shuttle
The shuttle is the piece of equipment that is volleyed back and forth across the net. It can be made of either natural or synthetic materials. The base of the shuttle resembles a small ball and can be made of rubber or leather-covered cork. The base is between 25 mm and 28 mm in diameter and has a skirt around it with 16 real or simulated feathers that project back and outward from around a skirt in a cone shape. The feathers are to be 62 mm to 70 mm long. The total weight of the shuttle is between 4.74 and 5.50 grams.
Net
The net can be made of either natural or synthetic materials. The cord that makes up the net should be fine, dark-colored and of even thickness. The mesh of the net should be no more than 3/4 of an inch and its dimensions are 2.5 feet in depth and 20 feet in width. A white three-inch tape is doubled over the top edge of the net with a cord or cable running through it to hold the top edge of the net up. It is securely fastened to and stretched between the posts. The top of the net is five feet from the ground.
Posts
The posts are on either side of the court and hold the net. The net is tied to the posts so that no gaps appear between the two. The posts are 61 inches high from the ground and should remain vertical once the net is strung. They are placed at the intersection of the midpoint of the court and the doubles sideline.
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