If you are looking for a fun family sport that you and your friends and kids can play in the backyard with relatively little set-up and equipment, badminton is a really good choice.
Generally consisting of a simple net, several racquets (often four), and a few shuttles, a badminton set is a great way to get a whole game without having to buy separate, individual pieces of equipment.
The net that is used for badminton, at least in regulation play (which is close to the size that you will find in a backyard set), measures 20 feet long. That is because in official doubles play, the badminton court is twenty feet wide (measured by 44 feet long) For singles play, with just one person playing on each side of the net, the size of the court is reduced to 17 feet wide, but still the same 44 feet long.
However, when you are just buying a badminton set to play in your own backyard, it doesn’t matter too much exactly the size of the court. As long as you have enough grass to fit your net, get a good swing in, and have fun, that should be sufficient. The net should come with the necessary strings and poles to set it up in your yard.
A commercial badminton set will also contain four racquets. A badminton racquet is different from a tennis racquet. In addition to being very light, it has a smaller face (the strung area). This is because the weight of the shuttle is much lighter than that of a large tennis ball, so the racquet does not need to withstand the same amount of force and velocity of its larger cousin.
And finally, you will receive several badminton shuttles. These are generally made of a cork or rubber base with a synthetic plastic webbing (which, in olden times, was made of feathers, to add resistance in the air).
A good badminton set will also include any number of other helpful accessories. A carrying bag is a great thing to look for. Regulation sets include a string to mark the court’s boundary. You may also want to look for a set that provides a bag/case for the net, as well as a container to protect and store the shuttles while you’re not playing.
