Minimum space behind/between courts?

Discussion in 'Rules / Tournament Regulation / Officiating' started by Dauntless, Jan 10, 2011.

  1. Dauntless

    Dauntless Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2008
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Belgium
    Hi,

    I was wondering what the minimum distance from a court to another court/wall is?

    I recently played at a gym where the courts were really close to the wall (about one meter (+- 3 feet)), but even worse, there were some kind of hooks attached to the wall (for storing the nets) which made me really afraid to hit the shuttle at the far back of the court.

    (My opponent, who plays at that gym all the time, knew this and played excessively to that spot on the wall, hence my frustration)

    I can't find anything in the BWF handbook about this.

    Thanks!
     
  2. urameatball

    urameatball Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2010
    Messages:
    417
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Photographer
    Location:
    Drill-Sergeant Troll-Face
    One of the courts I play at is under 1ft from the wall. 1m is actually a lot of space... I can list at least 3 clubs where there's less than 1m space around the court. Everyone has learned to deal with it, so should you. In fact, use it to your advantage, the wall is a great guide to help judge whether birds are going in or out.
     
  3. Dauntless

    Dauntless Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2008
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Belgium
    How can you play on a court that's 1 foot from the wall? If it falls on the back line, there is no way to hit it, except maybe a dropshot. But getting behind the shuttle would be impossible in any case ...
     
  4. urameatball

    urameatball Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2010
    Messages:
    417
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Photographer
    Location:
    Drill-Sergeant Troll-Face
    the 1ft I was referring to was a side line.
    I've played on a court that was under 1m from the back wall. Intercept birds before they reach the back line. If they lift REALLY high and make the bird fall vertically on the base line, you'll have ample time to setup and judge your distance anyway. 1m is actually enough space for you to do a full smash from the baseline.
     
  5. Andy05

    Andy05 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2005
    Messages:
    478
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Badminton Geek
    Location:
    Stockton-on-Tees, UK
    I played a match in a similar hall I had 1.5 foot to the wall, and there was basket ball nets overhanging the court, which we weren't told could be played as lets if it would interfere with our shots in the first game which the opponents kept aiming towards.

    A good drill to learn how to play in these halls is to stand with your back against a brick wall in your gym, and have a friend hit the shuttle anywhere within reach around you. If you attempt to pull your racquet back you will smack the wall, so you learn to adapt your shots pretty quickly.
     
  6. Andy05

    Andy05 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2005
    Messages:
    478
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Badminton Geek
    Location:
    Stockton-on-Tees, UK
    Also the regulations don't give any details of the distance from court to wall, but I suppose there will be some unofficial rule for tournament court placement.
     
  7. Thom_bad

    Thom_bad Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2009
    Messages:
    2,490
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Saskatoon, Canada
    I don't think it's in the BWF rules.

    You might search in your local rules, in France there's "le règlement général des compétitions", in which are the rules the referees are supposed to apply (as opposed the umpire's ones)..
     
  8. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Messages:
    13,704
    Likes Received:
    271
    Occupation:
    Chief Coach. The best and still active.
    Location:
    www.extreme-power.org or xtremexn.blogspot.com
    haha.. its time to get a helmet... lol. ;)
     
  9. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    There's nothing in the rules about this. Similarly, the rules do not specify any minimum ceiling height!
     
  10. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    This applies to non-BWF tournaments. For all BWF tournaments the minimum height must be 39 feet or 30 feet, the former for major tournaments and the latter fro other BWF tournaments.
     
  11. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    In what document is this specified?
     
  12. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    It is under BWF Laws of Badminton & Regulations 2010/2011, Hand Book II, Part III, Section 1B, Appendix 2 Specifications for International Standards.
     
  13. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    Thank you! I've always thought it a perplexing omission; now I see the rules do specify a ceiling height after all. :)
     
  14. Dauntless

    Dauntless Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2008
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Belgium
    That part also specifies the recomended space between courts:
    But as I see it, its only recommended and only for major events ?
     
  15. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Messages:
    13,704
    Likes Received:
    271
    Occupation:
    Chief Coach. The best and still active.
    Location:
    www.extreme-power.org or xtremexn.blogspot.com
    oh oh.. time to revamp those halls... lol. ;)
     
  16. Andy05

    Andy05 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2005
    Messages:
    478
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Badminton Geek
    Location:
    Stockton-on-Tees, UK
    Great Find, I can't believe that they have to put it in an Appendix, it should be pretty standard.
    Though I suppose in league matches if it costs £10 to rent the hall then a club wouldn't move to a £20 hall just because it didn't fit the official rules
     
  17. wirre

    wirre Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2004
    Messages:
    218
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Uppsala, Sweden
    BWF tournaments

    I guess none of your regular gym or school/community boards could care less about this since they aren't expecting to have a SS, WC/EC/AG or Olympics in their place. They are simply not going to rebuild any facility to comply with BWF rules.

    Each competition organizer (national, county, club) should state under what condition the event is taking off. BWF have no say at all in this matter if it isn't a BWF sanctioned competition. Actually they could play 100 games to 2 points on a tennis court if they wanted there is no such thing as "official rules" under this circumstances......

    In the OPs case I'd make a questionare to the powers that be, organizing the event, if they approve the court and that's it. If it was out of competition, just plying with friends, your only way to deal with it is to go to another place if it bugs you. No "rule" is going to help you.

    I sometimes play in a school gym with lines for badminton, tennis, basketball, handball, floorstick and volleyball. There are goals for handball at the side courts (short end walls) and baskets (8) hanging along the long walls + two in the ceiling etc etc. When playing leauge matches the teams agree upon rules for lets depending on interference from various items, this place is certainly not following any BWF rules.......

    /mats
     
  18. kwun

    kwun Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2002
    Messages:
    41,043
    Likes Received:
    2,066
    Occupation:
    BC Janitor
    Location:
    Santa Clara, CA, USA
    comfortably, side line can be as little as 1 foot from the next court. or 2 feet from the wall.

    for back wall, it is not uncommon to see 1 meter and that to me is enough.
     
  19. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2004
    Messages:
    6,526
    Likes Received:
    25
    Occupation:
    Designing and producing quality feather shuttlecoc
    Location:
    Hong Kong
    It can be dangerous if the sideline or back line is close to the wall especially if the wall is either made of brick or concrete. Recently in Hong Kong a tennis player died crashing his head into a concrete side wall in a desperate lunge to retrieve a shot.
     
  20. Andy05

    Andy05 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2005
    Messages:
    478
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Badminton Geek
    Location:
    Stockton-on-Tees, UK
    I didn't mean 'it should be pretty standard... in all halls' I meant 'pretty standard in the handbook and not place out of the way in an appendix. I even stated that costs of the venue is the most important thing to small clubs and getting used to a small gap between court and wall would be in their intrest to save money.
    As far as the 100 games to 2 points on a tennis court, I know you were making a drastic point, but National and County tournaments in England need to fit certain rules to be insured and this all falls into the health and safety culture that we seem to be in over here.
     

Share This Page