Shuttle testing

[rich]

I was recenlty involved in a disagreement about shuttle speed during a league match.

The shuttle, when tested by me, landed about about a foot past the doubles service line (just inside the little white lines). However, when my opponent tested the shuttle it landed ON the doubles service line.

In my opinion, the shuttle was too fast, I like it to land about 6" to a foot short of the doubles service line. Anthing past the line is way too fast.

His argument, and I know he was right, was that the shuttle landed between the little white markers, and is therefore of correct speed.

Are those little annoying white lines out of date ??? does anybody actually like the shuttle to land near the furthest ??

Can I repaint them at my club ??

[Steved]

Before we discuss this subject let’s see what the law says.
3 Testing a Shuttle for speed
3.1 To test a shuttle, use a full underhand stroke which makes contact with the shuttle over the back boundary line. The shuttle shall be hit at an upward angle and in a direction parallel to the side lines.
3.2 A shuttle of correct speed will land not less than 530mm and not more than 990mm short of the other back boundary line as in Diagram B.

[Site Support]

Good post Richard, why don't you " target="_blank"]Ask the Umpire?

If your question is chosen then you will see it answered in the regular "]Ask the Umpire! column we have on the site.

[johng]

Yes Richard of course you can repaint them at your club, but then so can everybody else!!!!.

The positions for these lines are laid down in the rules of the game and should be stuck to. The fact that you do not like the result of the shuttle testing is irrelevant, I do not like the height of the net, does that mean at our club we can lower it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your problem is really nothing to do with the position of the white lines but in the wording of the laws. What exactly constitutes 'a full underhand stroke'

A few years ago, in a final at a Grand Slam at Portsmouth, Darren Hall and Colin Haughton disagreed about the speed of the shuttle. Both teated the shuttle, one hit it long the other short. 3 speeds were tested and the same argument arose each time. Eventually they were told that the situation had reached farcical proportions and unless they reached and agreement the final would be scratched with no prize money or ranking points awarded, strangely enough they suddenly found agreement.

[rich]

Both of our 'tests' landed between the little white lines.

I wasn't disputing the fact that the shuttle tested to a legal speed. I was more trying to determine if people are generally happy if the shuttle lands level with the furthest marker.

[rachyuk]

Personally, landing level with the far marker...I'd call that a fast shuttle!

But then, in my league people test the shuttle from standing positions that vary from mid court, on the centre back line, outside the back of the court(!) etc etc...Perhaps there should be a 'testing the shuttle guide' on the side of each tube?!

I can't remember the last time I took a shuttle from a tube and played with it untested...most people will test a shuttle so, the manufactureres would have to see that there is a need for 'care & use intructions' that go beyond the current 'pull out, push in'!!!

[Tracy]

I agree with you Richard - 6" to 1 foot short of the doubles service line 'feels' right to me.
Then again, when I observe people testing shuttles, it seems that the men generally put far more force into that 'underhand stroke', than do the ladies. It follows that the men will expect their 'test' to go further than the ladies do.

[johng]

If you have travelled twenty miles from home to a match on a cold, windy,dark and rainy February night, having braved London Underground then South West Trains for a couple of hours, are you really going to refuse to play with a batch of shuttles that fail the testing criteria !!!!

I agree with Rachel about the way people test shuttles, in my experience VERY few players know the correct proceedure. I have in the last year played against one man who caught the shuttle each time I tested it, and claimed that it was OK as it was not spinning !!!. He had no idea what so ever that it should land in a particular zone. Another player, female, tested it by standing on the doubles service line and claimed that she knew how far the shuttle should fly in relationship to how hard she hit it, (adding in a very condescending tone 'I have played for twenty years you know'.

In the Bedforshire league, the chairman has, for the last couple of years, been running a campaign to get clubs to use the correct speed by constant reminders in the League news letter and this seems to have worked. He also urges clubs to have other speed shuttles available.

On this track I wonder how many clubs carry different speed shuttle. Hall temperature and humidity can have a major influence in shuttle speed, as can the format of the game, how many clubs use 'faster' speed shuttles for Ladies Doubles games than Mens Doubles

[rich]

re: (from John's comment) "Another player, female, tested it by standing on the doubles service line and claimed that she knew how far the shuttle should fly in relationship to how hard she hit it"

I think that there is a lot to be said for this.

I think that if you give a tube of mixed-speed shuttles to a group of people with a varied standard / age / sex, they will all pick out the shuttles that are the correct speed, regardless of where they land. It is a lot to do with experience and knowing that if you hit a shuttle at a consistant strength, it will land in a particular area (assuming it is of correct speed). This isn't necessarily between the 2 markers.

I'm sure that in the over 85 veterans, or under 12 girls tournaments, they would have great trouble, and probably end up pulling all the feathers off the shuttle, to get it to land within the markers...

[helencorbett]

So, can anyone tell me, for example, in a mixed doubles match, who is the right person to test the shuttle? The strongest man....the weakest lady?.....or is it up for argument among the players themselves as in the Darren Hall/Colin Haughton scenario?

Also regarding John's point about having different shuttle speeds available, are there any rules concerning this? I played a match earlier this season where the shuttles (normally perfectly OK in our hall) were far too slow on that particular cold night....the opposition complained, but we didn't have any faster shuttles, so in the end we played with what we had.

Our club spans quite a range of abilities, we play mens, mixed and ladies and we play in two different halls.....can you imagine how many different types of shuttle we would need if we catered for all possible scenarios!

[rachyuk]

Helen, I believe as long as you maintain the 'same' shuttle speed throughout the warm up and the match...
i.e It wouldn't be acceptable to warm up with 78's and then produce 79's for the match...

Am I right on this?

[johng]

We also play at two different venues, have mixed, ladies and medley teams and have a huge player ability range.

For matches we use Yonex Aerosensa 40 shuttles, using speeds 3 & 4 which seem to be OK for most occasions. We also have a few tubes of another shuttle with a different speed so we are fairly well covered.

If the conditions within the Hall change during the evening (say the temperature rises) then you should change the shuttle speed, if you don't then you are playing with the wrong speed shuttle, hence the need to have a change of speed available.

Helen that is one hell of a question, I suppose it should be the man who tests them, if only on the basis that more of his shots will be played from the rear court.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, are we really going to refuse to play a match after making the effort to get to the venue, especially if you are the away team. Do you really want to create a scene and get a reputation within the league as troublemakers, especially if you still have to play that team at home. My person view is that you may moan like the devil at the time and threaten to complain to the league (and indeed may well do so) but in the end you will end up playing anyway.

We play in tha Aylesbury League where the previous League Secretary, John Miskin (he deserves a mention in recognition of all the hard work and time he put in) used one phrase whenever a dispute looked as if it might drag on............"Let's remember, we are here to play Badminton"

[Steved]

My thought on this is that having watched this sport for more years than I care to remember, that we, as players, are selling ourselves short.

At whatever level I have watched; International, National, County, Tournaments and especially club. I have NEVER seen anybody accept a shuttle that goes over the back doubles service line when clearly this is allowed in the rules. Even when the umpires test the shuttle International and County players will reject a shuttle that goes over the line, while at the same time they will happily accept a shuttle which falls short of the law by some 12 inches. (Forgive the old fashioned measuring system!) Why? Probably because they have a tendency to hit the correct speed shuttle out the back of the court when playing a clear. This happens because they are so used to playing with shuttles which are slightly slower than they should be.

County and professional players spend many, many years cultivating a penetrating smash. Hour upon hour they perfect their footwork, speed and agility, they get their body in the correct position, perfect their timing, spend hours in the gym building strength, and gradually over time, with much practice and patience they consistently find the sweet spot on their racquet.

These players then enter a tournament and face a lesser opponent who has a quiet smirk on their face, they know that all those year of training, superior skill and technique are nullified because the shuttle is to slow. It suits the lesser player who knows they will get the shuttle back many more times than they should, because the better players cannot penetrate as their skills suggest they should. Their clears will be that much shorter and drops shots will either hit the net or be slow enough to attack. What puzzles me is that the top players and their coaches seem to meekly accept this situation.

Taking this to a lower level how many times have we all turned up for a tournament only to find that the shuttle will not reach what the laws require? When you approach the organisers they shrug their shoulders and say that’s all they have, or we only have three tubes at the correct speed. (This is a lot better these days, as John has pointed out, with air conditioned halls because the air temperature and humidity are constant)

How many times has this happened at club level? The times I have played in a match with shuttles which only reach just over half way up the court is probably 30%. The home side do not normally have more than one shuttle speed and if they are of a lower standard gain considerable advantage. This is a form of cheating and is not fair to the more skillful/powerful player.
As has already been mentioned, it is particularly important at junior level. The kids need to test the shuttles. It’s no good the grown up testing the shuttle, what does that prove? Many of the children drop out, some because of injury, because it is too difficult to do what we ask them which is to hit the shuttle to the back of the court. Why? Because they are playing with the wrong speed for them!


We must adhere to the laws on shuttle speed which allow the more skillful, faster player to achieve their full potential. I believe we should make a stand, certainly at county and tournament level and never accept a shuttle that does not reach what the law demands.

Now having said that I agree with John, at club level, we have to be pragmatic. Many people do not understand how to test a shuttle in the first place. (I played in a vets county match last week and the same think happened. Someone caught the shuttle as I was testing it. In a county match!) On many occasions you will arrive at a club with hopelessly slow shuttle and you play because you have made the effort to get there. One answer is to take along several different speed of shuttle in your own bag! Or at least complain to the captain that they are playing with slow shuttles and sincerely hope that next time they will supply shuttles of the correct speed. If it is seen as a form of cheating, which I believe it is, then we may get their attention!

[pkho]

Sorry but could not resist putting in my $0.02 worth. I'm not a UK player & from Canada. In the normal matches/tournaments, most of them have shuttles of three different speeds (usually 77, 78 & 79) since 78 is the normal speed in Canada.

The testing is done by the umpire and of the three shuttles tested, of the one(s) landed in the marker areas, the one landing closest to the middle of the marker boundaries is used. If two are of equal distance, I think they err by taking the one that landed short.

In any case, even if you have one speed shuttle, you can always tip the feathers to get the correct speed (i.e. if the shuttle is neither too fast or too slow to begin with). There are also rules/guidelines on how the tipping should be done.

[Geof]

I have being playing badminton for nearly forty years and I cannot remember ever having a problem testing a shuttle prior to a game. I have however had disputes where opponents have destroyed shuttles after a rally, tested it to show it is no longer any use. For the purpose 'resting'. In all these judgements we must start with the assumption that people will be fair and reasonable.

[phil911]

the only way round this is to have a shuttle tester at the start of ure games/matches.
just having one person to test all the shuttles for that event.
i hope this has helped you all.

[MarkAllen]

How to test? -- Read the rules!
Who should test? -- Use some sense & let someone of average strength do it. That should mediate the effect on others.
Why do people play with slow shuttles? Because the game has become more & more about speed & power, which can't be deployed with (legally) faster shuttles without spraying them all over the place. The subtleties of the game are being lost.
Here's a tip for slow shuttles -- they can be speeded up by placing a small piece of Blu-tack down the centre onto the cork -- try it; carry some with you. If you play with too slow shuttles you might just as well call it table-tennis.

[minxuk]

Does anyone know what speed shuttles a club should be using? Our club use 79's and they seem quite fast. We play in Ashford & District League Div 1

[rich]

Hi Sue,

There is no single correct speed for shuttles, it very much depends on the conditions of your hall. You will probably find that during the summer months (or month to be precise) your shuttles will be faster. (Something to do with humidity or air pressure - I think).

When you test your shuttles, where do they land ??

[minxuk]

Hi Richard
Ahhh that explains it as we play in a village hall & the heating is still on when we get there. Therefore, the shuttles will be fast - am I right? so When we play away games in leisure centres for example they will be slower
When i test the shuttle they land between the back two lines about an inch away from the back line

[rich]

Wow, they land an inch away from the back line ??? That IS fast...

They are, according to the rules, supposed to land somewhere within about a foot either side of the back doubles service line. Some courts have little markers painted on the court to indicate this.

I personally like them to land about 6 inches to a foot short of the doubles service line, as do "most" people I know.

[minxuk]

So perhaps we should use 78's then!!!
this was the row we had with some sussex coach last week but I just said if you are that good a player adapt your game to it!!! Didnt go down too well, ok for me as Im at the net!!