Pickleball 🏓 And Badminton 🏸
Whether it’s flicking shuttlecocks on the muddy field or striking loose a hollow ball across the net, the thrill and excitement aren’t ending anytime soon.
From exceedingly fast-paced rallies to executing a well-timed dink, both Pickleball and Badminton will have you head over heels and there are no two ways about it.
As a matter of fact, the comparison of Pickleball and badminton might seem trivial since Pickleball itself is a successor of Badminton which is why it’s no wonder it shares so many similarities.
Nevertheless, in this article, we are going to take a dig at it and explore which sports might be your cup of tea. Make sure you don’t skim through the details if you barely have an idea about the aforementioned sports.
Pickleball Vs Badminton – Diving Deep Into The Details
To keep the comparison fair, we will leave no stones unturned by starting with its point of origin.
Sports History
Originally known as Poona, the roots of Badminton can be traced back to 19th century India where it was played and enjoyed by many individuals in different states for recreational purposes.
Since it was in its raw format, the sport itself didn’t have any rules implemented for it, so almost anyone playing could add their own variation suitable for their needs.
However, it was too long before British Army officers residing in India took inspiration from it and started playing it in England but it wasn’t too long before it first got its official name Badminton, in 1873.
In 1877, badminton was governed by rules implemented by the Bath Badminton Club which is why it gained notoriety all across England and was backed by the International Badminton Federation.
As for Pickleball, the point of origin is quite organic as the game itself was invented by three Americans known as Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum in 1965.
As for its official name, astoundingly enough it got its name from the family dog that the founding fathers owned.
Equipment Type
Players partaking in pickleball have to use a paddle made from either wood or graphite material which measures 16 inches maximum, as per the official pickleball community.
Although the weight of the paddle can be dynamic, it must not weigh more than 14 ounces to maintain a sense of fair play if you are playing in competitive leagues.
The ball used has 20-40 holes depending on the brand and the settings you are playing in and must not exceed the diameter of 2.87 inches.
Badminton players utilize a racquet which is also made from light wood and measures around 27 inches with a diameter of 9 inches.
Instead of a plastic ball, badminton players use a shuttlecock which has 16 feathers with a diameter of 2.5 inches.
Court Type
Both Pickleball and badminton have sort of the same court dimensions, however, in a single format, badminton players have to use a rectangular court that is 44 feet long and 17 feet wide.
The only key discrepancy here for pickleball is that its court has a 7-foot non-volley zone which is also called kitchen and is located right beside the net at each side to balance out both sides and prevent early aggression by the server.
Nature Of Sport
Considering the fact badminton doesn’t really have a kitchen zone, you can volley from almost anywhere which implies you have to be on your toes at all times. So, if you are athletically fit and want to take a jab at your reflexes, there is no better alternative than badminton.
In fact, the rallying Period is exceptionally higher than any other sports in comparison and the maximum score is 21 points.
Pickleball, on the other hand, is much slower paced, in fact, I wouldn’t suggest it to those players who want to feel adventurous and simply adore a challenge since in Pickleball, there is a huge 7 feet non-volley zone that prevents direct shots over the net and keeps the sports toned down. This highly discourages aggressive playstyle unless and until you embark into rallies which are not as challenging as compared to Badminton rallies.
On the flipside, the maximum point requirement to conclude a victory of a session is only 11 with a two-point lead which is considerably lower than Badminton.
Bottom Line 💁
Nevertheless, both of the sports have their core values oriented towards keeping their player base healthy and socially connected, so even if a sport doesn’t feel like your cup of tea or simply way out of league or skill set, you shouldn’t disregard it because, at the end of the day, the whole point of indulging in outdoor sport is to have fun and maintain a sense of sportsmanship.
Feel free to comment below if you want to see more sports comparisons like “Pickleball Vs Badminton”, I would be much obliged to curate them so you can spread this esoteric knowledge among your peers.
