History: British military officers invented badminton in the mid-1800s while stationed in British-India.
The sport is similar to hanetsuiki, which originated in Japan, and was especially popular in Pune, India.
Originally, balls of wool were used instead of shuttlecocks, and were particularly preferred by the upper classes in windy or wet conditions.
However, ultimately the shuttlecock stuck and the game was taken by retired officers back to England where it developed.
New Zealand was one of nine founding countries to establish the Badminton World Federation in 1934, which governs and develops the sport worldwide.
What you need: At least two players, a racket per person, a net and a shuttlecock, a court or clear patch of lawn.
How you play: A badminton match consists of three games, with the first player to win two matches prevailing.
Each game is made up of 21 points and a point is given to the winner of each rally.
Originally, points could only be scored off a player's own serve. However, that is no longer the case.
Ideal for: A casual backyard game over the summer holidays.
- by Robert van Royen
