Where can I find a Badminton Court Near Me? - Our Guide

Whilst it can be fun to just play badminton casually in the garden, to play the sport to it's fullest (and not have to battle the wind), finding a good badminton court is essential. But where can I find badminton courts near me? This article we will look to help you to not only find a badminton court, but also understand a little bit more about badminton, it's benefits, rules, and how to make sure you are fully equiped to play at your best. Have fun finding places to play Badminton near you. 

So, Where can I find badminton courts near me?

Although badminton is a hugely popular game in the UK, it can still be difficult to know where to play, especially if you are new to the area or have not explored much of the local sports facilities before. Here we will break down a few different strategies to find the best local badminton courts near you.

• Utilise Google search - Whilst it may seem like an obvious and simple approach, sports centres are starting to recognise the importance of having an internet presence so people can find the nearest badminton courts to them. Google maps will provide many quick options as it can use your location to narrow down it’s search to your area. Try searching ‘badminton courts near me’ or ‘badminton courts in’, followed by the name of the area you are from or looking to play in. 
  
  
• Go old school with the Yellow Pages - Ok, this is kind of a joke. Gone are the days of endlessly flicking through the huge yellow catalogue for local UK businesses. However, the Yellow Pages has now been digitised and can be found online at Yell.com. Search for badminton court hire in your local area and you’ll be sure to find a badminton court near you. 
  
  
• Badminton England website - Badminton England are the national governing body for badminton here in the England and have recently released a new function on their website called Find a Court, which helps you to search for badminton courts near you. At the time of writing this does not offer a comprehensive look at all courts in every area so we would advise to use this alongside our other methods below.
  
  
• Local government/ council websites & Leisure Centres - Many local authorities will have details on local leisure facilities on their websites and many run local initiatives to promote physical health and activity. We would recommend a Google search to find the local authority website that is appropriate for you.Good to excellent shuttle flight.
  
  
• Social media - Social media can be a great tool to find out local information and connect with other players and clubs in your area. Searching for local badminton in your area can sometimes bring up local clubs and organisations. Take note of where they play or contact them and organisers will no doubt have a vast knowledge of badminton in the local area.
  
  
• County badminton websites & Badminton England Information - Many county badminton organisations are run by enthusiastic, passionate volunteers who are happy to help give information on badminton in the local area. Usually the websites will also list badminton clubs and their venues. Even if you have no plans to play in a club, it’s worth noting the facilities they use to see if they do private court hire.
  
  
• Look up local schools & clubs - Many local secondary schools & clubs in the UK double up as leisure centres and their badminton courts can be booked outside of school hours. Badminton England also have a great "Find a Club" tool.

What makes a court good for Badminton?

If you’re looking for somewhere to play badminton regalarly it is worth noting that some facilities are more suitable than others and will make the game safer and more enjoyable. Here we will briefly explore the things to look out for to create the best badminton court experience.

• Flooring - Badminton is such a dynamic game so a grippy floor surface can make all the difference. If the surface is not regularly cleaned then a build up of dust and debris can reduce traction and be dangerous. The best surfaces are clean, sprung-wooden flooring, which offer more give and protection for the joints, or rubber matting, which is used by pro tournaments for it’s superb grip. 
  
  
• Wall colours -  Many sports centres construct their indoor hall without much consideration for badminton players. Whilst a bright, lightly coloured hall may look clean and modern it certainly doesn’t help badminton players to pick out a white shuttle travelling at speed. The best badminton courts will feature a darker contrasting backdrop to enable maximum shuttle visibility.
   
• Ceiling height - Quite simply, the more ceiling height the better. Venues with low ceilings are not ideal for badminton players as a high lift onto the back line is a crucial tactical shot, in both singles and doubles.
  
  
• Badminton Net - The net is a key component of badminton but many sport centres do not assemble them properly. Make sure all net posts are sitting on the widest tramline of the court and the net is tied relatively tightly. The net should not droop in the middle. If this occurs then either re-tie the net with less slack, or move the posts further out.  .

 

What do you need for playing badminton on court?

Badminton is a fairly simply game but it’s still important to have everything necessary so that you’re ready to have fun and play your best.

• Someone to play against - Whilst classified as an individual sport, you do still need somebody to play with or against! 
  
  
• Badminton racket - It goes without saying that you’re going to need a badminton racket to play. Whilst many sports centres have rackets that you can hire many of them are heavy or poor quality and we would always recommend buying your own if you can afford it. If you’re unsure on buying your racket the staff at BadmintonHQ have written this helpful racket buying guide.
  
  
• Shuttlecocks - Once again, these can usually be hired from sports centres, however it’s a much safer bet to bring your own. We would recommend nylon shuttlecocks for beginners and feather shuttlecocks for experienced/advanced players.
  
  
• Comfortable sports clothing - Badminton can get hot and sweaty so it’s important to wear clothing that will allow you to move freely and also dry out any sweat quickly. We would recommend polyester based badminton clothing or gym/sports tops and shorts.
  
  
• Shoes & Footwear - Ideally it is advisable to invest in a pair of indoor badminton shoes especially if you are looking to play regularly or competitively. These will provide greater grip, support and stability than regular gym shoes however we understand this is not within everybodys budget. 
  
  
• Towel - Either to dry off sweat or for a shower afterwards, it’s recommended to take a towel with you wheny ou play badminton. Many people underestimate how hard they will work playing badminton and how much they sweat!
  
  
• Change of clothes - As explained above, it’s unlikely you will want to travel home hot and sweaty so it’s advisable to take a change of clothing should you want to shower and change after playing.
  
  
• Water - It’s really important to stay hydrated throughout your game so it’s always recommended to take water with you to the court. Check out our water bottles to help with this.

 

You should now be ready and equipped with all the knowledge you need to hit the local badminton courts in your area. Whether you’re just wanting a fun and gentle, co-operative hit or a fast-paced competitive match to get the heart beating, badminton is one of the best sports to provide this. Happy hitting!