Before diving into the world of badminton, it is crucial to understand the layout of the court and the various markings that are essential for gameplay. The badminton court is rectangular in shape and is divided into two equal halves by a net. The court is 13.4 metres long and 6 metres wide for a singles match.

There are several markings on the badminton court that players need to be familiar with. The centre line divides the court into two equal halves, and the short service line is located 2 metres from the net. Additionally, there are tramlines on each side of the court that determine the boundaries for doubles matches.

We will be focusing only on singles in this course, which means not all the rules apply in singles. In singles, the court is only until the first tram line. When serving, we have to serve cross. Depending on how many points you have, you stand in that specific rectangle. If the number of points you have is odd, then you stand on the left side and vice versa. The service has to be in between the first tramline and the line going through the centre. It should be ahead of the service line, and in front of the second back line.

After the service, any shot can be played as long as it is inside of the first tramline, and does not go behind the second back line. Other rules are:

• Not touching the net
• Not moving before the service is served
• Not adding any additional spin before the service
• Not contacting the shuttle while it is still on the opponents side
• When serving, you can not contact the shuttle above 1.15 metres (around waist height)