What's needed?

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

Clothing:

Shorts, T shirt or sports shirt and a warm top. If you have a tracksuit then that is also useful but not absolutely necessary. You can change at the club, and there are showers, but make sure you're out of the building by 10.00 p.m. at the latest.

Footwear:

Sports socks and comfortable badminton shoes or trainers with a good sole to obtain a grip on the floor are important. Please ensure the soles are non-marking.

I'd suggest you have a pair which you only use for indoor sports, that way they don't get mucky or greasy, which isn't good for the courts or your play.

There is a suggestion that you should spend more on your shoes than on your racket. I think it makes a lot of sense, except that some rackets cost much more than the maximum price of badminton shoes...

Rackets:

We do not supply rackets so make sure you have your own.

These are made of various lightweight materials. Buy as good a racket as you can afford from an established producer, Yonex, Forza, Yehlex, Fleet, Carlton, Slazenger, and Talbot. You will find many different makes at local sports shops. Smart Set Sports (Clifton Down Shopping Centre) and Venom Sports (Easton) are run by badminton players who can offer good advice.

Be careful buying online. Whilst you can get bargains there are a lot of cheap copies on the web and they will be far less reliable than a quality racket from a badminton manufacturer. One club member had a racket he'd bought at a "bargain" price, after playing with it on a few occasions the head came off the shaft during a game!

Make sure that the racket is evenly balanced between the head and the handle and the handle is thick enough for you. It should feel comfortable in the palm of your hand and easy to control the racket. If possible borrow a friends racket to try. Ask advice from a coach or badminton player.

If you want to read what some of the manufacturers have said, check out the web site for Avon Juniors, www.asba.co.uk and info for parents.

Shuttlecocks:

We play with feather shuttles. These are supplied by the club, and the weekly fee helps cover the cost of the shuttles.

Understanding The Game

Laws, court markings and serving documents can be found on the Badminton England web site under About Badminton.