What is the best lighting conditions you have ever played in? And where was it? For me, it has to be at the Vancouver Racquets Club. The lights are just hanging in the ceiling along the sides of each court. However, I still lose shuttles when the flight trajectory is in the lighting. Also wondering if diffused lighting (light source reflecting off white walls/ceilings) would be better for badminton.
The lighting + ceiling combo is fantastic there. However, I still believe the best one should be the one that "feeling used". For me, the best lighting I got in Vancouver is Collingwood! Why? Just because the ceiling, lighting, and slippery floor are the same as my cheap mult-purpose gym back in my hometown...
Interesting one. Mine would have to be David Lloyd Leisure, in Speke, Liverpool. Having said that, I only have a few places to compare with. I've played about 90% of my badminton over 10 years in the same hall.
The Cockburn centre in the South side of Glasgow, a converted paint shed with a very high roof, dark green walls with a burgandy banding and middle green coloured courts. 6 courts side by side. The lighting is two flourescent tubes horizontally one below the other hanging off to the side of the mid court on each side. The place hasn't changed in years and it still knocks all comers out of the water, even the new £3M National academy.
Hmmm... thanks for the replies, guys. I was hoping for more details. Like how the lights are fixed to provide the optimum condition. It seems that flourescent lighting along the sides of the courts are pretty common among baddy dedicated gyms. I know that the Derrick Club in Edmonton has similar lighting... it's so dark there yet has enough light to make out the shuttle.
When I was little, I used to train in a private badminton gym in Taiwan. I remember they have the best lighting because the lights they used at like a huge rectangular box located along the side wall. They don't put lights on the ceiling because the glare will go to people's eyes in that way. The light boxes have matte surface, so the light is not so bright and not too sharp and you can even just stare at it directly without getting your eyes burned. So, they just put those lights throughout the entire gym.....and it's bright, and it's highly visible. That's the best lighting I have ever seen in my short life so far. (I don't remember if there is any blind spot )
Diffused Lighting At my club, we have diffused lighting which is certainly more agreeable to the eyes. I suppose our hall is better suited to diffused lighting as it is rectangular in shape, not too big and the width is just enough to accommodate one court. We have three courts lined up alongside each other. Despite the diffused lighting, the hall can be too bright and hot for many, since the voltage of the halogen lamps are a bit high and our walls are painted a little too light. When the times comes, the voltage will be lowered and the walls painted with a darker green hopefully. In any case, we are quite lucky because our club is perhaps the only golf club here that has a proper badminton hall together with other social facilities.
that is a beautiful badminton court!! badminton only also, what a luxurious hall to have. agree that it will look even nicer and more badminton like if it is a colder green color instead of the warm tone. but i think we are asking for a little too much when most of us are making do with old school gymnasiums...
WOw, that looks like a 5-star Hotel to me !! It would be really nice to play there.....if I were you, I will probably never miss any badminton session anymore....
Kwun, I'm glad you lke the courts. But it is not perfect and some of our members have lodged complaints and refuse to play in them! Would you believe that some of our members are really spoilt! They complained that the lights are too low, the lights too bright, the walls are too light-coloured, etc! As you can see from the pic, the top oversized rectangular green windows, they are louvered windows and wind and rain can seep through at times. But the architects never consulted me on this. What I specified was that the hall should be well-ventilated without any interference from the wind which could affect the flight of the shuttle. And there must be exhaust fans at the ceiling to suck out the hot air and ventilate the hall. As for the wall colour, when it was shown to me, it was much darker but it turned out to be lighter when it was done. I got the brunt of these criticisms because I was then in charge and responsible for securing the three courts and its facilities for my badminton team. But not now, for I have passed the baton to a younger member. If LazyBuddy is a member, I'm sure I'll have no complaints from him. You are absolutely right, the courts are for badminton only and not a multi-purpose hall with many lines and certainly, LB will not have to tape the lines every time he plays! Sadly, I hardly play there now as the distance is a bit far. I only go there for golf on weekends and play badminton at two other places nearer my home, twice a week. Actually, it is only about 20 minutes away and LB would have killed me if he knows the truth for he drives much, much longer distances just to be able to play badminton.
Haha...! 1) the courts in the main gym have a great surface but the lightning is too bright. When you are on one side of the court, it happens sometimes that you see the bird only at the last second. 2) the courts in the simple gym are true gems. Same surface as the main gym and the lightning is perfect. Although, sometimes there can be wind draft but it doesn't often occur. Well, perhaps in a few years, you will be part of our team! But the best courts in Mtl are at Atwater Club (former MBSC). They are just . But I didn't see the new courts at the national training center in Claude-Robillard. My friends who are on the provincial and national teams say that the courts improved a lot. JRMTL
Well, perhaps I will coach the national team at worlds university championship in Bangkok by the beginning of December. Therefore, I may be able to pass by Singapore!
That's excellent! Maybe I can get some of my coaching friends to meet up with you too and exchange ideas. I'm sure they also like to socialize with badminton at my club. Bangkok is not too far away and now the budget airlines are making it easier for us to travel there. I've been there earlier for the Thai Open. By the way, which 'national team' are you referring to? I'm sure your work must be really exciting!
Canada. I don't really know what would be the level from China and other Asian countries. But here, many national team members will be part in the team or people who made finals or semis at the last national championships. The national trials will be held in Montreal on September 12th. The tournament is planned from December 9 to December 12. We expect to leave December 4th and return in Canada December 13th. But, depending on work and courses, I might be able to extend it and take some holidays (if I am chosen as a coach... well I expect the chances now at 75%). So, it would be awesome to meet you there (either in Singapore or Thailand). I'll keep you posted. JRMTL
Oh, I hope you are selected and come to Singapore for a short holiday if possible. Then you can join us and meet some of my friends. Last December, Huber Gunter (of Germany), who once coached the Canadian National Team I believe, came by to share his experience and knowledge with us at a Level 3 course. Wonder whether you know or heard of him?
Yup, I know him. I never had the chance to meet him personally, but he coached the national team for 1 or 2 years. I don't know if he liked the experience, cuz at that time, Badminton Canada (the national federation) sucked (for various reasons). They didn't resigned him for obscure reasons and I don't think it is for his qualities. JRMTL
Thanks, but don't be surprised to find a number of clubs here that are quite nice in design and have many social facilities. The bigger swimming clubs here, like the Chinese Swimming Club, the Singapore Swimming Club and the Changi Beach Club also have badminton courts, with CSC now building more new ones, possibly 8 courts as they have a larger membership and many badminton players. I think the SSC now have 6 courts with diffused lightingas well. But apart from our club, the other golf clubs here do not emphasize on badminton unfortunately. Our club's badminton team plays two social evenings a week, Wed and Fri, on which days they do not have to pay court fees but contribute to the purchase of shuttles for which they are charged S$10 per month. I used to play during such evenings but have stopped since about two years ago. If I am as young as you are, I'll probably play more badminton. Friendly matches are still organized against other clubs or badminton teams. Actually a social member of our club has access to many sports facilities which include, apart from badminton, swimming as you can see the Olympic size swimming pool in the pic plus a recreation pool for kids, ten-pin bowling in aircon comfort, tennis, squash, table-tennis, gym and the golf driving range. As with most social clubs, F&B facilities like restaurant, cafe, bar, karaoke lounge and rooms, jackpot machines and even mahjong rooms are also available at our club, which is quite new at about 3 years' old at its present new premises. I will post some pics later to give you an idea.
