Badminton- what an easy sport to play. It can be played on miles-long courts and in the street, with a fancy goose feather shuttlecock or a dirt-cheap plastic cock, by professionals and by amateurs on the road. All of this makes it one of the most popular sports across the globe. You, too, must have spent your childhood playing badminton on your lawn or the street. The ease badminton is played with often makes many wonders if it’s a simple indoor game for kids or a strenuous outdoor one for professionals. 

Badminton is a sport that demands nothing more than a pair of racquets and a shuttlecock. The players hit a shuttlecock through a net with racquets. It allows teams as big as you desire, but it itself prefers to be played by just one or two players on each team.

Although bigger teams can be used, the most popular variants of the game are “singles” (one person on each side) and “doubles” (with two players per side). Badminton is a household game, played as an outdoor recreational sport in a backyard or on a beach. The official games are played on a rectangular indoor court. The game’s signature points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it in the half of the court occupied by the opposing team.

As simple as the game itself sounds, there is a lot of thought and effort put into the advent of the game and the creation of its modern rules and regulations. In addition, the history and origin of badminton are full of amazing fun facts. So, let’s explore some interesting facts about badminton and some other badminton information.

1. Badminton Has Many Names

You may know this common game like badminton, but it has various names in different languages and cultures. It has three common names in English alone, i.e., badminton, shuttlecock, and battledore. The sport was also called Poona once because it was frequently played by British officers living in Poona, India. 

2. The Reason Behind the Term “Shuttlecock”

The shuttlecock used in badminton is named due to its back-and-forth motion in the game. This motion is strikingly similar to the shuttle of a loom, hence the word shuttle. Whereas the “cock” comes from its resemblance with a chicken, with its sixteen feathers. 

3. More About the Shuttlecock

You must have played badminton with even a plastic cock. But professional matches are always played with a shuttlecock made of 16 goose feathers. Other bird feathers are also used to make cocks, but the quality deteriorates. 

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4. There is a Birdie Involved

Yes, the shuttlecock you don’t want to remove your eyes from, is also called a birdie. This name could be due to the use of bird feathers or simply because of its bird-like size and flight. 

5. The Most Lightweight Equipement

The shuttlecock used in badminton is probably the most lightweight equipment used in any sport. It weighs about five grams only. 

6. The Evolution of the Shuttle

Initially, badminton was played using a ball of wool. Back then, the game was called ball badminton. The wool ball allowed the game to be played in windy weather. Later the use of a shuttlecock was made a primary rule to play the game.

7. The Best Shuttlecock

It is known that the best feather to make a shuttlecock is a goose feather. But did you know that these feathers need to be taken from the left-wing of the goose? Experts say that a shuttlecock made from 16 feathers from the left wing spins clockwise when hit by a smash. 

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8. The Right is Wrong

Shuttlecocks made with the feathers from the goose’s right-wing spin counterclockwise when it is smashed. This spin throws the players’ game off, and the shuttlecock is likely to be thrown away. In addition, a mix of feathers from the right and left wings make the shuttlecock’s movements unpredictable.

9. The Gigantinc Shuttlecock

Although a shuttlecock is one of the lightest sports equipment you will find, no one said it couldn’t be made big. The art museum lawn in Kansas City displays an aluminum and fiberglass shuttlecock that rises 18 feet above the ground. Coosje Van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg made the sculpture, which weighs nearly three tons.

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10. The Fastest Racket Sport

10. Badminton is the Fastest Racket Sport

There are no faster racket sports than badminton, and shuttles can fly as fast as 320 kph. Danish badminton player Mads Pieler Kolding holds the record for the fastest hit in a competition. At the 2017 Badminton Premier League match in Bangalore, India, he recorded a smash speed of 426 kilometers per hour.

11. It Tunes Into Your Speed

It is difficult for spectators to follow the shuttlecock’s movements during competitive badminton due to the intense pace of the game. Conversely, the game can also be enjoyed leisurely at a slower pace. Games like ‘No Strings Badminton’ allow the shuttlecock to drift freely across the court.

12. Badminton is the 2nd Most Popular Sport Globally

This might not come as a surprise because you must have seen this sport being played on every ground and street. The sport is played by an estimated 220 million people worldwide. Badminton has been ranked as the second most popular participation sport in the world, only behind football. As soon as badminton was included in the Olympics in 1992, over 1.1 billion people watched the competition live.

13. The First Proper Game

Despite badminton being played informally for many years, it is believed that the first official game was played at Badminton in Gloucestershire, UK., the estate of the Duke of Beaufort officially recognized the game.

14. The First Official Club

The first official club of badminton was formed in Bath, United Kingdom, in 1877. It was called ‘The Bath Badminton Club.’ The Badminton Association of England later approved and published the standardized rules of the game.

15. Badminton Offers Singles and Doubles

Badminton is one of the very few sports that offer the number of players of your choice. It is possible to play badminton as a single or a doubles. Singles is played on a rectangular court that is 44 feet long and 17 feet wide. In contrast, the court width for the doubles game is 20 feet.

15. Badminton Offers Even a Mixed Match

Unlike many other popular sports, badminton is a liberal and progressive sport allowing men and women to play together. In badminton, a double with one male and female on each side is called mixed doubles, whereas, in badminton, it is called a “mixed match.” 

17. Badminton in Olympics

Thanks to its popularity and feasibility to play badminton made its Olympic debut quite early in its career. An entire medal event for singles and doubles matches in badminton was added to the Olympic program in 1992.

It had previously been introduced as a demonstration sport in 1972 and an exhibition sport in 1988. In 1996, the mixed matches became legal

18. 1.1 Billion Views of Badminton

Badminton hooked 1.1 billion people to the TV through the live broadcast of its first official Olympic match. 

19. Badminton’s Slow Growth in the USA

The now-famous sport took almost six years to gain popularity in the US after being introduced in the 1890s. 

20. The Uniqueness of Badminton’s Rackets

The modern badminton racket is made from steel, aluminum, graphite, and boron. Its length and width cannot exceed 68 centimeters and 23 centimeters, respectively. A racket should weigh 85-90 grams and never more than 100 grams. A difference of even a gram or inch can affect the performance of the player. 

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21. The Special String

The unique strings used to gut a badminton racket are supposed to be precisely 10 m in length. 

22.  Even The Rackets Have Categories

Badminton rackets are always marked as U, and G. U refers to the racket’s weight, while G refers to its length. Each racket is categorized as 1U, 2U, 3U, 4U, and 7U. The heaviest is 1U, and the lightest is 4U.

23.  Rackets Are No Joke

Steel, aluminum, graphite, and boron are the primary materials used in modern badminton rackets. It cannot be longer than 68 centimeters and no wider than 23 centimeters. Rackets should weigh between 85 and 90 grams and never more than 100 grams.

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24.  A Special Guinness Record

The longest marathon badminton match ever played was played by Austrian players Mario Langmann and Thomas Paulweber for a total of 25 hours, 25 minutes, and 44 seconds.

25.  The Longest International Match

It was the Badminton Asian Championships in Bangkok that hosted the longest international badminton match. A two-hour and forty-one-minute game took place between Japanese players Kurumi Yanao and Naoko Fukuman and Indonesia’s Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheshwari.

26.  The Longest Rally

In the longest badminton rally, 256 shots were fired over four and a half minutes.

27.  The Shortest Badminton Match

There was a badminton match that lasted only six minutes. The game took place in 1966 at the Uber Cup in Hong Kong between Ra Kyung-min and Julia Mann.

28.  It Is Played With Feet Too

Badminton has been originated from similar games played in India and China. One similar game, Ti Zian Ji, is badminton played with feet instead of rackets or hands. 

29.  Even The Lines In The Court Are Special

The width of the lines of the badminton court is supposed to be 40 mm. They even have unique colors, i.e., yellow or white, depending on the color of the base floor. Whatever color shows more is chosen so the players can see the lines easily. 

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30.  The Fastest Object Recorded

The feather-light shuttlecock can move very fast. A racket technology test recorded the shuttlecock movement to be 493 kilometers per hour in 2013. This record was set by a Malaysian player called Tan Boon Heong. 

31.  The Oldest Badminton Tournament

The World’s oldest badminton tournament is The All England Open Badminton Championship. The tournament was first organized in 1898 and is commonly known as The All England. 

32.  It Is A National Game

Badminton is not just a favorite but a national sport too. Yes, badminton is the national game of Indonesia. 

33.  One Shuttlecock Can’t Do It

You must have been used to using a single shuttlecock for at least fifty matches, but an international badminton match uses many shuttles in one match. On average, an international game uses almost ten shuttles because a shuttle is hit nearly 400 times in each game and loses its shape due to the hard hits.

34.  The Shuttle Travels A Lot

If one were to calculate the distance covered by a shuttle in each match, it would account for miles. 

35. The Right Serve

God knows how many different styles of services I have witnessed. Some throwing the shuttle high in the sky and jumping to hit it, some leaving no difference between a tennis service and a badminton service, and some even sticking the shuttle to the racket and throwing it with a jerk. But do you know what the right service is? Players are only allowed to serve from below the waistline. Overarm service is not possible.

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36.  The Shuttle Knows The Physics

Researchers have discovered that shuttlecocks usually flip over twenty milliseconds after they make contact with a racket. They then become perfectly aligned in their new direction only 100 milliseconds later.

37.  The Rulers

China and Indonesia rule the game. They both have won 70% of all Badminton Federation events.

38.  The Federation Is Huge

The Badminton Federation has a total of 150 member countries.

39.  Even Animals Are Involved

In old times the badminton rackets were made of strings made from the stomach linings of animals like cats and cows. Although most contemporary players choose synthetic strings for their rackets, some still prefer the old style rackets.

40.  The Net Is Untouchable

In badminton, players and rackets cannot touch the net dividing the court. The net must be attached to two poles and be five feet high.

41.  You Can’t Keep Track

If you as an audience want to keep a constant eye on the birdie, you probably will fail because the shuttle is hit about 40-50 shots in 20 seconds in a professional doubles match. 

42.  The No-Joke Service

The official rules for badminton allow only one service attempt. Therefore, the player who cannot serve properly loses the right to serve.

43.  Even The Soles Are Special

Players always prefer gum soles over running shoes because they offer far better grip. The game requires the players to move quickly and change directions suddenly, hence the choice of shoes.

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44.  The Court Of Choice

Badminton can be played indoors and outdoors. But even the slightest of winds can affect the game, so most professional matches are played indoors. 

45.  A Stylish Game

Badminton is a game of style and strategy. Players use a number of strokes to score a point. The common strokes are lob, serve, smash, forehand, backhand, and spin. The counterattack strokes are blocks and drives. 

46.  Deception Is The Key

The better you can deceive, the better you are at badminton. To gain an advantage over their opponents, players manipulate the shuttlecock’s speed, direction, and spin.

47.  It Promises Great Health

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. Badminton demands all your strength and energy, and if you want to play it professionally, it will ask for hours in the gym and a carefully curated duet. All of this effort comes with a promise of great fitness and optimum health.

48.  The Tipping Technique

Players tip the feathers to change the speed of the shuttle. The shuttle speeds up when the feathers are tipped inward. Conversely, the feathers should be tipped outward to slow the shuttle.

49.  The Ultimate Champs

Known as Super Dan, Lin Dan is one of the best players in the world. In his career, he won all nine major titles, including world and Olympic champion.

50.  The Winning Point

Badminton’s scoring system is straightforward and easy to understand. A point is awarded if the shuttle touches the opponent’s section of the court. The winning point is 21. The winning point is 22 if the game is tied at 20-20. The winner must have a two-point advantage over their opponent. A player who scores 30 points first wins. One match consists of three games.

 The Bottom Line

The best thing about badminton is that it doesn’t demand a proper court. You can play it on your lawn or the street, so if you feel even a little sporty, let it out with your shuttle and cock. 

REFERENCES

• (50 Interesting Facts About Badminton – Page 2 of 4 – The Fact File, 2021) The Fact File. 2021. 50 Interesting Facts About Badminton – Page 2 of 4 – The Fact File. [online] Available at: <https://thefactfile.org/badminton-facts/2/> [Accessed 24 August 2021].
  
•  2021. [online] Available at: <https://lawlersports.com/fun-facts-about-badminton/#:~:text=Badminton%20is%20the%20fastest%20racquet,has%20over%20150%20member%20nations.> [Accessed 24 August 2021].
  
•  Reporter, S., 2021. 8 facts about badminton that will blow your mind. [online] Sportskeeda.com. Available at: <https://www.sportskeeda.com/badminton/10-facts-about-badminton-that-will-blow-your-mind> [Accessed 24 August 2021].
  
• Google.com. 2021. The Laws Of Badminton. [online] Available at: <https://www.google.com/search?q=badminton+rules&oq=badminton+rules&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512l9.6142j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8> [Accessed 24 August 2021].