Hi everyone, I am a badminton newbie. I have just started playing twice a week in these couple months. It has been fun, actually helpful and educational, to read the threads here. I learn alot from you. Besides this must-read badminton website, I also go through other badminton sites looking for tips and tricks to improve my skill in double play. Earlier, I got into the University of Waterloo Badminton Club website http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/clubs/badminto/tips.html The following two tips are given in the web site: A) Underhand drops should be crosscourt. B) Overhead drops (only very occasionally as a change of pace) must be to the centre of the court. Why should underhand drops be crosscourt (only)? Why must overhead drops be aimed towards the centre of the court? I think that these tips may not be always true. However, I believe there must be some logic behind them. Would anyone tell me the logic behind the tips?
I think the logic behind those tips, and the Strategy documents in general, is that it is for a University Badminton Club. It is liable to have a rapid turnover of members (many may never have played badminton before), so it is more efficient to teach everyone the same simple strategy. Those 2 tips in particular may work well if your opposition are also following the same simple strategy.
Agree. Regular college club players might not have a whole lot of experience in badminton when they join. Therefore, general tips should go with the "safe path". However, once ur own experience build up, u might find ur own strategy which kinda "against" the general rules. As long as it works for u, it should be ok. A) Underhand drop: A lot of beginners' underhand drop is more like a "underhand setup", short and high. Very easy for opponent to smash back. Therefore, with "crosscourt" path, at least, this will give opponent a little bit more work to do, and harder to apply a direct smash back (unless cross right to him). However, once ur control is there, some direct drop could be very effective, especially when opponent is already off balance or way in the back. B) Overhead drop: Same theory. Beginners might find their drop could be easily returned and once the opponent drive/ clear back, they might be in trouble. Therefore, stay in the middle gives reachable distance on the court, and even opponent drive back, still possible to return. If u stay say on one side of the court, once the opponent did an effective return (i.e. drop back to the other front corner), u will be in trouble. Overall, the tips are the "safe" ones, work great for beginners, since their shot is not powerful or with decent control (acurate). These tips can give them the 2nd chance, once their attack becomes actual setup for their opponents (assume not very skillful player, either).
I think the two strategies are not only for beginners. A lot of advance players stick by those two philosophies in doubles. 1) underhand drop cross court- the reason for this shot is because your opponent is already at the net waiting and if you drop straight, they'll be right there to brush it back into your face. With all that being said, it's probably better not to underhand drop if your opponent is right there. 2) drop to the middle- this shot creates confusion of your opponents. They might hesitate because they don't know who is getting the shot. Also, if it's in the middle, it leaves the player receiving with a lot less options (i.e. they can cross court drop, and they can't fake hitting down the line only to cross court clear). Dropping to the corners leave your team vulnerable if the opponents read the shot and get to the shuttle with sufficient time.
Sorry to read the tips wrong: B) Overhead drop to the middle: Generally, to beginners who does not have too much control, if they drop to close to the net or border line, very possible they will make a mistake, and lose a point in error. Drop way too much to the back, gives opponent too much time to react, and relatively easier to be intercepted, or effectively returned. With the combo of effecitive smash and overhead drop (assume travel less distance than smash), it will effectively confuse opponent.
