Badminton began in the 1600s as a popular pastime among the upper classes in England and Europe, where it was called Battledore and Shuttlecock. In the 1800s, a net was introduced in India. Today badminton remains a popular pastime and has grown into an Olympic sport.

Complete your badminton set. You need two rackets and a shuttlecock, often called the birdie, as the bare minimum to play singles badminton. Check your rackets to make sure they're strung.

  • Badminton began in the 1600s as a popular pastime among the upper classes in England and Europe, where it was called Battledore and Shuttlecock.
  • You need two rackets and a shuttlecock, often called the birdie, as the bare minimum to play singles badminton.

Decide if you are playing singles or doubles and then measure the court. A singles court should be 17 by 44 feet. For doubles, you need a 44 by 20 foot court.

Locate the center of your court so it divides into two sections of 22 by 20 feet. The net gets placed along the center axis of the court. If you are playing outside, you can stick posts into the ground. An indoor court should have post holes in the floor.

Tie the net to the poles, which you may need to assemble. The net should be 5-feet high in the middle and slightly higher by the poles. You may want to lower the net if small children play.

  • Locate the center of your court so it divides into two sections of 22 by 20 feet.
  • You may want to lower the net if small children play.

Use paint, chalk, cones or rocks to set the court boundaries. On a regulation court, mark the back boundary line, the long service line, the short service line and the center line that divides the court in half vertically between the long and short service lines.