Bucks-Mont Badminton Club (fka Bryn Athyn BC)

Visitor Guidelines

Get comfortable: here is what we do

Welcome! First time at a club is always a little daunting, you don't know anyone or even who is in charge. And it could be that the folk you need to talk to are in the middle of a game. Not to worry, We're an approachable club. Talk to anyone and they will point you in the right direction.

The following pointers will guide you on how things work.

We provide Shuttles

Practice and "warm-up" shuttles are either close to the net-stands or on the floor
New Shuttles should be taken from the tube only when needed for Games - try to use the previous game shuttle before taking a new one to help us manage costs.

Starting a Game

Empty courts can be used by anyone who is sitting for warm up or practice
If you haven't talked to someone in charge please check when games come off
Play is "Pick-up" so the groups tend to self select. If you stand-up when a court becomes free, members will know you are ready to play

On the Court

USAB/IBF rules are used.
Games start quickly with minimal or no further warm-up after an initial warm-up.
Once teams are agreed and sides chosen we toss a shuttle into the air and when it lands the side to which it points are declared the serving side to start off the game.
If we are busy, play is limited to 1 game to 21 points. Otherwise groups my elect to play more than one game but we prefer not if people are waiting to get into the rotation.
Disputes arise occasionally, either over the score or sometimes with line calls. Please be courteous, we are here for fun first, no prizes are awarded.

In the case of line calls ultimately the decision rests with the side where the shuttle landed. Please accept their decision gracefully.
In the case of the score, rather than get into this situation, call the score loudly after each point. If you do disagree, please agree a mutually acceptable restart quickly and without rancor, and try to make sure you call out the score loudly thereafter.

At the end if the game we shake hands across the net with all players.

Singles Play

If there are free courts by all means start a game of singles.
If however people are sitting, do check that they don't want to play before you start a game.

We provide Shuttles

Practice and "warm-up" shuttles are either close to the net-stands or on the floor
New Shuttles should be taken from the tube only when needed for Games - try to use the previous game shuttle before taking a new one to help us manage costs.

Starting a Game

Empty courts can be used by anyone who is sitting for warm up or practice
If you haven't talked to someone in charge please check when games come off
Play is "Pick-up" so the groups tend to self select. If you stand-up when a court becomes free, members will know you are ready to play

On the Court

USAB/IBF rules are used.
Games start quickly with minimal or no further warm-up after an initial warm-up.
Once teams are agreed and sides chosen we toss a shuttle into the air and when it lands the side to which it points are declared the serving side to start off the game.
If we are busy, play is limited to 1 game to 21 points. Otherwise groups my elect to play more than one game but we prefer not if people are waiting to get into the rotation.
Disputes arise occasionally, either over the score or sometimes with line calls. Please be courteous, we are here for fun first, no prizes are awarded.

In the case of line calls ultimately the decision rests with the side where the shuttle landed. Please accept their decision gracefully.
In the case of the score, rather than get into this situation, call the score loudly after each point. If you do disagree, please agree a mutually acceptable restart quickly and without rancor, and try to make sure you call out the score loudly thereafter.

At the end if the game we shake hands across the net with all players.

Singles Play

If there are free courts by all means start a game of singles.
If however people are sitting, do check that they don't want to play before you start a game.

Scroll down to the page footer to check our current playing schedule.

Badminton FAQ

Some Basic Rules and Guidlines

21 Points Format

Currently, this is the official format used by the IBF. Here are the basic badminton rules for this format.

To win a match, you have to win 2 out of 3 games.
To win a game, you have to score 21 points.
If a score becomes 20-20, the side which scores 2 consecutive points shall win that game.
If the score becomes 29-29, the side that scores the 30th point shall win that game.
There are no "service over", meaning you can score a point no matter who serves.
One service only for doubles.
Other rules shall remain the same.

Lines in the Court

The court is marked for both singles and doubles, which use slightly different court sizes.
The outermost lines form the doubles court. So in a doubles rally, the shuttle is allowed to land anywhere on the court.
The singles court is slightly narrower than the doubles court. The singles side lines are not the outermost lines, but the next ones in.
Taken together with the outermost (doubles) side lines, these make narrower alley shapes along the sides of the court.
These alleys are often caller the tramlines, since they look like tram or train tracks.

Service Courts

The service courts are smaller box shapes inside the court. We’ll look at what they are used for in a moment, but first let’s get the right boxes.
Notice that the badminton court has a line down the middle, extending from the back to near the net; this is the centre line. At the front of the court, the centre line is met by another line; this is the front service line. These two lines form a T shape where they meet.
A singles service court is a box made from four lines:

The centre line
A singles side line (inside side line)
The front service line
The back line (the outside one, all the way at the back)

On your side of the net, you have two service courts: your right service court, and your left service court. The same is true for your opponent.
The doubles service courts are slightly different. They are wider, because they use the outside side line (remember: the doubles court is wider); and they are shorter, because they use the inside back line.
That’s what the inside back line is for: doubles service, and nothing else. It’s probably the most confusing line on a badminton court, because that’s all it does!
So just to be clear, a doubles service court is made from these four lines:

The centre line
A doubles side line (outside side line)
The front service line
The inside back line (not the very back line, but the next one in)

Five Types of Badminton

Men’s singles
Women’s singles
Men’s doubles
Women’s doubles
Mixed doubles (each team is a man and a woman)

Come, Play with Us

Visitor Guidelines

Get comfortable: here is what we do

We provide Shuttles

Starting a Game

On the Court

Singles Play

Shuttles

Start

Rules

Singles

We provide Shuttles

Starting a Game

On the Court

Singles Play

Badminton FAQ

Some Basic Rules and Guidlines

21 Points Format

Lines in the Court

Service Courts

Five Types of Badminton

Hours & Location

Contact Us