I already understand the following (please correct me if I'm wrong): Hitting the shuttle twice is a fault (unless it hit the strings and then the frame using one fluid stroke). A stroke that carries the shuttle is a fault. A slice shot is a perfectly legal shot. A slice means the shuttle skids across the face of the racket to "some" degree. My question is, if you did this when not intending to, is it still a valid shot? Specifically, the shuttle is being hit by one fluid stroke and only being hit once but the shuttle appears skid across the face of the racket in a quite scuffy way (more so than an intentional slice). I have always grouped this the same as doing a frame shot in that: it's not a clean hit but it was not intentional. If it wins the rally then I would apologise but there is no fault. Am I right in this assumption or am I wrong? I know of at least one player in our social club who calls a fault upon himself when he does this but I think it is wrong of him to call a fault on himself for this shot (and I have said to him directly as well). However, he is a very modest person both on and off court so this could be his personality. Anyway, grateful if people could share their thoughts and opinions. Many thanks
Sounds perfectly legal. An outright "carry" or "slingshot" is illegal. As is hitting the bird twice. But a "scud" like you describe, in one fluid motion, is legitimate. (It better be because I did one for a winner yesterday. ) So tell your friend to loosen up and go wild! Just hope this sudden, guilt-lifting freedom doesn't lead him on to a wanton life of crime.
so you mean that he is committing himself a foul when he hit the shuttle with the frame in accident? in my opinion, i don't think it's a foul because we can't even purposely hit the shuttle with the frame? If we can, why do we still string our rackets?
Thanks for confirming what I thought. It's good to know the definitive rule. No, what I was saying is that when this player did a "scuffy" shot (legal but not a clean hit) he would claim that his own shot was a fault. If I was playing with him or against him, I would often ask him if he was sure because I thought it was not but he always tends to say that his "scuffy" shots are a fault.
Whilst it doesn't look (or sound) good, the shot is legal. However, your club-mate is allowed to call a fault on any of his own shots, if he so wishes. Personally, I don't mind the occasional frame, so long as the shuttle does roughly where I wanted it to. For example, if I meant to do a drop, then it's probably fine. However, if I smash and the shuttle dribbles over the net, I'd probably call a fault myself. OP states that this is a 'social club', so perhaps he's playing socially. Perhaps he wants to win with only 'proper' shots. Perhaps it annoys him when others hit scruffy winners so he leads by example. Regardless, you should respect his wishes. This bloke sounds like the sort of sporting example most clubs would benefit from.
He is most likely under the disillusion that this is a fault, and therefore is calling it on himself. Either a shot is a fault or it's not. In my opinion it would be a very weird and even unwanted behavior to call "faults" on your own lucky shots.