Badminton is one of the fastest racket sports and is a fun game and is commonly played by people worldwide.
It is an indoor sport which is played on a rectangular court. And these courts are made up of different materials. The courts are meant to provide better comfort and cushioning to the players while playing on them.
Rather than this, these courts hold different measurements according to the different forms: singles and doubles. And all these measurements and other rules for the court are implemented by BWF, the governing body of this sport.
So let's check out some of the court's facilities:
Badminton Court Specifications
An indoor court is indulged with all these facilities and specifications:
Dimensions of a court
Badminton court dimensions vary according to the singles play and doubles play. These dimensions and measurements are implemented by BWF, which are applied in international and domestic tournaments.
According to BWF:
The standard court size is 44 feet long and 20 feet wide for doubles.
And the court measure 44 feet long and 17 feet wide for singles.
The Singles court is slightly smaller in comparison with the double.
It is so because, in singles, a single player is placed on both sides of the court and has to cover his entire court, while in doubles there are two players on both sides of the court, which allow them to cover the court easily.
Badminton court flooring
This sport is played on various court surfaces, which have advantages and disadvantages.
But there are four common types of court surfaces that BWF approves.
1. Synthetic Court
It is one of the most commonly used surfaces by the players, especially the professionals. Also, it is approved by BWF and is majorly used for official and international tournaments. It holds a wooden base on top and synthetic mats laid on it. The mats are either made up of polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane. The synthetic court provides amazing comfort, bounce, anti-slip feature, excellent traction and prevents injuries. Rather than this, it is budget-friendly and easy to maintain.
2. Wooden Court
If you are a beginner or looking for a perfect set-up to play amazing and effective shots, then a wooden court is one of the best options.
It is used for domestic tournaments because it provides an amazing shock-absorbing feature to the players.
The wooden court has its own merits and demerits, as it is hard to maintain; one can easily slip on it and can face some severe injuries.
3. Cement Court
The players use cement courts to play this sport outdoors.
It is made of concrete and cement, making it durable and budget-friendly.
Such court surfaces are not approved by BWF and also are not suitable for your knees as they can lead you to face some severe injuries like cramps, sprains, or fractures.
So you must avoid playing on such kind of surface.
4. Acrylic Court
The acrylic court is usually made of rigid materials like concrete and asphalt. In contrast, the court's surface is sealed with the help of acrylic material, making it look similar to the synthetic court and providing amazing cushioning.
But it does not provide shock-absorbing features compared to the wooden and synthetic courts. Rather than this, it is easy to maintain and is long-lasting.
Badminton net
Badminton nets are usually made of nylon, mesh, polyester, or a cord, which is placed at the centre of the court and divides the court into two equal parts.
It creates the objective of hitting the shuttle and landing it in the opponent's court to win a point without touching it.
And this net is 5 feet 1 inch (1.55 meters) tall at the edges and 5 feet (1.524 meters) tall in the middle, whereas the width of the net is 20 feet long.
Court ceiling
Badminton courts hold different types of ceilings and play a major role while performing high shots like lobs and lifts.
Usually, the height of the court ceiling is set high so that the shuttle travels high without facing any difficulty.
BWF sets the height and dimensions of the court ceiling, and according to BWF rules and regulations, the ceiling height is set to 12 meters (39 feet) for Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, and BWF World tour level 1-5 tournaments.
And for other sanctioned Badminton World Federation tournaments and international competitions, the court ceiling height must be approx 9 meters (29.5 feet).
Rather than this, the ceiling height for domestic tournaments and courts must be approx 30 ft.
Also, the court ceiling must be painted with dark colors, providing a better sight and focus to the players.
Markings on the court
Usually, a court is marked with white and yellow lines, which include:
1. Centerline
The centerline is usually marked from the width of the court and runs from the short service line to the back boundary line.
The main work of this centre line is to divide the service court into two parts (left service court and right service court).
2. Short service line
The short service line is marked at a distance of 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters) from the net.
And it marks the point beyond which a serve in badminton must be performed.
3. Long service line for doubles
In doubles, there is only a single service per side, and the service alternates among the partners and the service should be made between short and doubles long service lines.
So, this long service line in the doubles court is approximately 2 feet 6 inches (0.76 meters) from the back boundary line.
4. Sideline for singles
The sideline in singles court designates the out-of-out-of-bounds for singles play. These lines are marked 1.5 feet (0.457 meters) from the doubles sideline.
5. Sideline for doubles
It is the outermost line marked on the doubles court. And these lines are 20 feet (6.1 meters) long.
6. Back boundary line
The back boundary line is the outermost back line marked on the court, which stays the same for both singles and doubles court and plays.
Maintenance of the court
Here are some easy steps through which you can easily maintain the court for its durability and efficiency:
· Use non-marking shoes on the court while playing instead of any other sports shoes.
· Clean the court daily to remove all the dust from it.
· To keep the court's surface smooth, do not drag heavy items on it or scratch the court.
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· If you own a wooden court, you need to do power standing every 2-3 years to enhance its durability. If the markings or the lining on the court starts fading, you must remark them.
· And in case you want your court to look shiny, then add some vinegar to the mopping liquid or else you can also use silicon thinner.
Final Words
So these were some of the major specifications of badminton court that you must know.
In case to play this sport at a competitive level, the courts must be designed well and hold specific dimensions and angles.
The net be properly placed at the right height, the markings must be done correctly, and the ceiling height must be set high so that any object can not obstruct the way of the shuttle and one can play effectively.
Also, the court must be synthetic or wooden according to the tournament or game level. And all these things together make a good badminton court.
About the Writer:
K. Pronnoy played badminton for approximately 19 years. He now works as a professional badminton coach. He is also the creator of Badminton Weekly. Badminton Weekly aims to help you improve your badminton skills, knowledge, and overall game!
