Badminton Court Etiquette

To ensure the quiet and safe enjoyment of badminton by all members, Club members are expected to adhere to the RA Code of Ethics and the RA Badminton Club Code of Conduct. Any Badminton Club member found to be in violation of these will have their case reviewed by the Club Executive and/or the RA Management in accordance with Club Bylaws and RA Bylaws.

New members may not be aware of what to expect in the area of court etiquette or conduct. In conjunction with the Code of Conduct, the points listed below are simply a matter of common courtesy extended to and expected by most badminton players:

Walking between courts

Please be aware of games in progress when you are walking by or between the courts. It’s very distracting to those playing when someone walking by is talking loudly or inadvertently strays onto the court. It can also be dangerous if the payer does not see someone walk across the corner of the court and backs up to take a shot. Please wait until the rally is finished before you go between and around the courts.

Foul language

Unacceptable at any time.

Calling lines

Calling lines is often a controversial issue. However, if you’re in doubt as to whether the bird is in, on the line, or out, you should call it in favour of your opponent. Be courteous and accept line calls in the spirit that most players offer them: honestly.

White clothing

This is a traditional rule in badminton that is not strictly observed but encouraged at the Club. Coloured clothing is acceptable. The Club wishes to ensure a standard of dress on the court. Ripped T-shirts or cut-off shorts are not acceptable.

Phone and cell phones

When using the phone in the Badminton Lounge, please limit your conversation to five minutes. Please turn off your cell phones while on the courts. Do not interrupt games and check for messages between games.

Courtesy please

In general, be considerate to your fellow players. Accept games with lower caliber players so they learn to improve too. If someone looks lost, offer to help them. Often, new members simply don’t understand the rules and need information. Don’t be afraid to ask someone you don’t know to play with you. Check his/her colour code on the name tag (explained elsewhere) so that the skill levels are not too drastically different. Enjoy your game!

Respect for Programs

At certain times, the badminton courts may be used exclusively for certain Club Programs or may be shared by different Programs or different age groups. Juniors or camp participants may be expected to be somewhat more noisy than adult players. It is expected that all members will recognize and support Club Programs and show participants the common courtesy to enjoy these programs.