Badminton was invented by British soldiers in Pune, India in the 19th century.The game was also called Poona then. Badminton is a sport for two or four people. In this way, either the game consists of one player against one player or a team of two players against another team of two players. Players use rackets to hit a shuttlecock over a net.The shuttlecock center is hit with a badminton racket over the net, in this fast sport. A shuttlecock is also called a shuttle. Other names for shuttlecock are bird, or birdie, because it can be made with feathers. It is harder to hit a feather shuttlecock fast, because there is more drag. They are also less durable than plastic shuttles. Experienced badminton players usually play with feather shuttlecocks, and in competition, badminton is almost always played with feather shuttles. They feel that feather shuttles give them more control, and better play is needed to hit feather shuttles. Badminton rackets are light, with top quality rackets weighing between 75 and 95 grams including the strings. Badminton rackets are composed of many different materials ranging from carbon fiber graphite reinforced plastic to solid steel, Badminton is one of the quickest sports played using a racket. Courts are usually marked for both singles and doubles play, although the laws permit a court to be marked for singles only. |