What exactly is a drive serve? I think I sorta know what you mean... correct me if I'm wrong though... Is drive serve serve u do with backhand and rather then trying to get shuttle right on the front line, you sorta hit harder using wrist and making it go kinda fast across the net aimed towards their body or down the middle line? If it is I tried this before and it works quite nicely won some points on serve..... although players I played weren't that good... I'm not sure if it would work as good if I played someone intermediate or advanced.
the drive serve can be done with either the FH or the BH. it is pretty much a line drive that is hit at a very low angle (that is, it doesn't rise a lot). in my own experience, more than 95% of all drive serves that i've witenssed have been ILLEGAL if the strict wording of the Laws of Badminton are employed (or enforced). i've been told that world class players sometimes use it (esp in doubles); sometimes they are called on it, but many times they are not. I think that lesser level players that use it get away with it even more. i know that when I caution players about driving the serve illegally I'm often ignored or accused of poor sportsmanship... many players feel that they can ignore those Laws as they see fit. the drive serve (legal or illegal) can be quite devastating against taller players that do not have world class reactions or abilities. shorter players do not seem to be bothered by the drive serve as much.
illlegal meaning racket head position in relation to the serving wrist. forehand drive serve is a stroke i try to practice when i'm waiting for my turn to play while with empty court(s). I find it to be the toughest serving shot as it has to skim across the tape and remain low going to your opponent. Like viver had said, it's not an useful serve for shorter players.
illegal drive serves somtimes players attempting a drive serve will contact the shuttle above their waist. however, the more common problem is the position of the racket head (at impact) in relation to the position of the hand holdong the racket. acc to Law 9.1.6, the head of the racket must be completely & OBVIOUSLY below the racket hand. check the diagrams at the IBF site (under Laws of Badm). the Law as stated is: (Law 9.1.6) ... the shaft of the server's racket at the instant of hitting the shuttle shall be pointing in a downward direction to such an extent that the whole of the head of the racket is DISCERNABLY below the whole of the server's hand holding the racket (as in Diagram D). this wording suggests that if it is not possible to tell if head is, in fact, below the hand, it is still illegal. the diagrams re-inforce this notion. with many, if not most, drive serves the racket head is NOT below the hand or it is not apparent that this is so. in either case, the serve should be deemed illegal. it is probably best to stay away from drive serves altogether unless you are sure that you can perform it legally most of the time. even if you find that you can get away with illegal drive serves quite often, it violates the spirit/intent of the Laws of Badminton. it should be considered a form of cheating if a player knowingly tries to get away with drive serves that are probably illegal.
My observation: I see the drive serve as primarily a doubles serve and a variation of the flick serve. It has to have the element of surprise and be well disguised. Unlike the standard flick serve, which is meant to send the receiver back, the drive serve is intended to "handcuff" a receiver who stands right at the front service line into making a weak return, or to even score an ace, thus causing the person to be more cautious, or at least have something to think about for subsequent serves. It is best delivered so that it passes the receiver's backhand side, and especially between the receiver's shoulder and center line (even court to righthanders, odd court to lefties), assuming the receiver is holding the racquet on the forehand side, although a hard drive serve directly into the receiver's body may also work well. Although it must be hit hard and low, it must not be hit so hard as to go long. Unless the receiver has anticipated the serve, very few will be quick enough to get the racquet around to drive it back. The most likely good return will be a drop to the nearest corner.
for me, the only shot I can do when receiving a good drive serve is a simple block to take all the pace out of the shuttle or push it back so at least the shuttle goes down. Then immediately cover the net area to try and force the opponent to play the shuttle upwards. I imagine playing to the corner when receiving a drive serve as being quite difficult.
Going a little bit off topic, I think forehand serve harder to do but when perfected it's more effective than backhand. When playing doubles games against my coach, there was no problem for me (or any of my team mates) returning his backhand serves. They could be fast, could be just over the net or a fast flick or drive serve - the worst situation is we hit a high and deep return to the baseline. Once he challenged us and said he would use only forehand serve instead of backhand. We all thought it would be a handicap match since we never saw him using forehand serve. Since we let him start we lost 15-0. None of us were able to return his serve. His hands were simply too fast for our eyes.
viver not off topic at all. yes, the forehand drive serve is more effective than backhand ones - more angle for the shuttle going toward the back T. Yes, doing it the legal way is not easy.
This is truly a great weapon against desceptive shots and smashes. When done correct you give the receiver less time to think and decide where to place the shot. Eventually the receiver will either move back or raise rackethead, thus giving you place to serve short.....great. Just remember that when you opponent is pressured (s)he'll use simple shots and or the same shots. Concerning the bh (single) drive serve - i dont use it - i'd rather mix between short T/ally serve and bh fllick serve because most opponents don't consider is a threat ( untill i have used it...haha) usually they move closer , getting ready for a short serve, then i catch them off quard....
Actually drive serve can be a disadvantageous towards the server too! I know a player who loves to drive serve to me, but because placement is not correct, it can be smashed easily.
well, if you do it too much, you'll get smashed at because they are expecting it... it's basically a do or die shot... if it's good, you can start attacking, if it isn't, you're screwed...
I used to regularly use the drive serve quite effectively but now rarely use it. I think this is partly because most times I am on the receiving end of it this kind of service is a foul one. At one club a player frequently foul served this way but would not accept it when pointed out. In fact many players make a foul low serve in local leagues - but just you try telling them! Maybe the IBF needs to look at the service as well as the scoring system.
I agree Dimo. Too many players are either unaware of the intent of the serving laws or just choose to ignore it cuz they see so many other players using questionable (illegal) drive serves. In my own experience, the overwhelming majority of drive serves that I've seen would be considered illegal if the strict letter of the (Badminton) Law were applied. Perhaps more emphatic wording or more consistent enforcement is required by the IBF and by (serving) judges.