Badminton is a fun sport that is loved by all individuals, and we should admit more than a competitive sport, it is been played as a recreational game in every nook and corner of the world. The game has simple rules, easily available equipment, and an easy playing style, which are the pivotal reasons for the success of this game among people. But little or no insight is thrown on the dimensions of the court, except in competitive games and big tournaments.
It is important to learn the dimensions of the badminton court and mind the boundary lines, to play the game professionally, and also to not lose a point by minding the boundaries. It will also help in enhancing the professional skills of the person and get them adept with the game rules. So let us in detail discuss the dimensions of the badminton court here and help bring out the professional badminton player in you, and stay as a tough competitor for your playmate.
Differences in Badminton Court Size – Between Singles and Doubles Games
The badminton court dimensions, irrespective of recreational or professional play are the same and the dimensions do not differ much. The dimensions of the badminton court are universal and they remain the same. But the dimensions of both the singles and the doubles game differ.
The badminton court measures 44 feet in length and about 20 feet in width. The back boundary lines are the lines that outline the width of the court. The sidelines are the lines that outline the width of the court. The width of each of these lines is about 40 mm. In official matches, at least 2 meters of free space is left around the outer boundaries of the court. It helps in enhancing the game efficiency and mitigates the risk of injuries for the players.
1. Court dimensions in the singles game
In the badminton court for a singles game, the sidelines are drawn inside the doubles line. The width of the singles badminton court is about 17 feet or 5.18 m. If the shuttlecock is out of these boundaries, then the player loses the point. The centerline of the badminton court divides it into two halves. The net is suspended above the center line and is held by two poles, that lie on the opposite ends of the doubles sideline.
The height of the poles is about 1.55 meters or 5 feet and 1 inch. The highest point of the net, or its midpoint should be at 1.524 meters or 5 feet tall. The width of the net is about 0.76 meters or 2 feet and 6 inches. There are also short service lines that are drawn parallel to the net. The short service lines lie close to the centerline. The appropriate distance between the center line and the short service line is about 1.98 meters or 6 feet and 6 inches.
2. Court dimensions in the doubles game
The badminton court for the doubles game holds a long service line. The distance between the long service line and the centerline in the badminton court is about 19 feet and 3 inches or 5.88 meters. In the singles game, the long service line transforms as the outermost boundary line. It lies about 22 feet or 6.70 meters from the centerline.
The service court is the area, where the service requires to be delivered. The size of the badminton court in both the singles and the doubles game concerning where the service required to be delivered is different, owing to the differences in the rules. The size of the badminton court for the doubles game is about 3.90 meters’ x 2.59 meters or 12’10” x 8’ 6”.
3. Dimensions for Indoor court
If the badminton games are played indoors, then according to the Badminton World Federation, the minimum height of the ceiling of the court should be 9 meters for minor games and the height of the ceiling should be 12 meters for major championship games. This ceiling distance must be high enough to prevent the shuttle from hitting the ceiling.
4. The flooring of the badminton court
When it comes to the design of the flooring of the badminton court, it is recommended to be made from wood sprung floors, preferably covered with non-slip court mats.
5. Dimensions of the service area – singles court
The dimensions of the service area of the badminton court meant for the singles matches are about 15 feet and 6 inches long and 8 feet and 6 inches long (15’6” x 8’6”). This offers a total area of 131.75 square feet and makes it comfortable and relaxing for the players to place their shots anywhere in the opponent’s court.
6. Dimensions of the service area – doubles court
The dimensions of the service area of the doubles service court are about 13 feet long and 10 feet wide (13’ x 10’). This creates a total service area of about 130 square feet.
Badminton Court Dimensions and Important Lines Explained in Detail
The dimensions of the badminton court are universal and are regulated and suggested by the Badminton World Federation. The BWF is the governing body for the sport of Badminton and it is recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The court is also divided into many different lines, which helps the players to learn the clear differentiations in the court and to play the game efficiently without losing points to the opponents. These lines that are described below are marked in white color, clearly on the court, and are about 1.57 inches thick.
a. Outer line measurements of the badminton court
The outer line measurements of the badminton court are of inherent importance as the birdie falling out of the outer boundaries is deemed to be out. The badminton player is also not expected to step out of the outer lines of this badminton court to continue playing in the game.
The outer length of the badminton court is about 44 feet or 13.41 meters and the breadth of the badminton court is about 20 feet or 6.1 meters. These are just the measurements of the boundary of the court. It is however recommended to have two to three-foot space on the exteriors of the court, on all four directions for players to move around, and to have additional space for the birdie. It also ensures that the player’s racket doesn’t hit anything outside the court.
Additionally, there could also be space provided for the spectators to watch the game and cheer the players. Considering only the outer boundary dimensions of the badminton court, we can note that setting up the badminton court would take about 81.801 Sq. meters.
b. Sidelines of the badminton court
The measurements of the sidelines of this badminton court are about 1.5 feet or about 46 cm. This should be the space between the outer and the inner lines in the court. These sidelines are meant for the singles play and if the shuttlecock lands outside these singles lines, it is not valid. In the doubles game, both these sidelines that are drawn vertical at 44 feet are considered IN both during rallies and badminton services. Whereas the lines that are drawn horizontal to the net in both sides of the court is known as the service line and any shuttle that lands before this life in both the singles and the doubles game are considered as OUT.
c. Back service lines
There are also back service lines for the doubles game and the space between the service line and the back service line is about 76 cm or 2.5 feet. These lines are drawn parallel to the 20 feet line in the doubles badminton games and it means that any shuttle that lands outside this line are considered to be OUT during the services laid in the doubles badminton games.
d. Front service lines
The front service lines are also meant for the doubles badminton games. The front service line is drawn at a distance of about 6.5 feet or 1.98 meters from the net. Most of the smashes and the drops happen in this zone and the player has to be very careful about this space, to not lose a point to their opponent.
e. Mid-service line
The area of the badminton court on either side of the net, between the back service line and the front service line, is further divided in half and is referred to as the mid-service line. The distance between the mid-service line and the sideline is about 8.5 feet. The total distance (breadth) of both these halves at one side of the badminton court is about 17 feet. The main reason for dividing this badminton courtside into two halves is significant as the services are done diagonally in the badminton game. The length of the half court is about 13 feet or 3.96 cm.
The area of the complete doubles badminton court is 880 square feet. This is generally calculated by multiplying the width of the full court that is 20 feet by the length of the court, which is 44 feet. The area of the single’s badminton court is about 748 square feet. This is calculated by multiplying the width of the singles court that is 17 feet by the length of the court, which is 44 feet.
A Glimpse on the Net of the Badminton Court
The badminton court is divided into equal halves by a net that is suspended through two modes. It is 5 feet high from the ground at the center and about 5 ft. and 1-inch-high at the edges. The net used in the badminton games is about 20 feet wide, and 2 feet tall. Thus the total area of the net in square feet is about 89.93 square feet. This is achieved by multiplying the width and the length of the net. The net of the badminton game is made of materials like polyethylene, nylon, and vinyl. The nets are generally made of dark colors, as they offer better visibility during the games, that happen at the night.
The nets used in the game are also lined with white tape on their upper side and they also have a cable or cord within them, to ensure that they can be stretched over each of the net posts, on either side of the badminton court. This tape on top of the net is about 20 feet wide and 3 inches tall on both sides of the net.
Badminton Court Flooring
For playing the game efficiently, irrespective of the skill levels of the players, choosing the right type of flooring is mandatory. The flooring of the court should be laid predominantly on the frequency of use of the court, and the age group of the people who are expected to play on the court. Choosing the wrong flooring will affect the game and in some cases could also cause injury to the players.
Wooden badminton courts are arguably the best choice as they offer a credible and elastic floor surface. BWF also recommended wooden flooring for the badminton courts and it should be laid along with non-slip court mats. Wood tends to absorb pressure naturally and will also not be very hard on the body making it an ideal play surface. Hardwood is the preferred choice of material when it comes to badminton court flooring.
Synthetic badminton court flooring is also on the rise, and they are growing to be increasingly player-friendly. There are two types of synthetic badminton courts, namely PVC courts and Acrylic court floorings. Modular floors are also used for outdoor games and rubber mat flooring is prescribed for indoor badminton games.
Bottom Line
We hope this guide on the badminton court dimensions and its important service lines will be of great help for badminton enthusiasts looking for details and playing the game with more interest and confidence. It is mandatory to mind the net and the lines in the court, to not lose a point to the opponent easily for no good reason.
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