Badminton Shuttlecock

Exclusive summary about Badminton Shuttlecock by Wikipedia

A shuttlecock is a high-drag projectile used in the sport of badminton. It has an open conical shape: the cone is formed from sixteen overlapping goose feathers embedded into a rounded cork base. The cork is covered with thin leather.

The name shuttlecock is frequently shortened to shuttle; it may also be known as a bird or birdie. The "shuttle" part of the name was probably derived from its back-and-forth motion during the game, resembling the shuttle of a loom; the "cock" part of the name was probably derived from the resemblance of the feathers to those on a cockerel.

A shuttlecock weighs around 4.75 - 5.50 grams. It has 14-16 feathers with each feather 70mm in length. The diameter of the cork is 25-28mm and the diameter of the circle that the feathers make is around 54mm.

Badminton's Tactics Are Smashing - Thanks to the Shuttlecock

Exclusive summary about Badminton Shuttlecock by Michael X Hayes

Shuttlecocks make badminton unique, but paradoxically also contribute to its popular image as backyard recreation rather than an energetic sport - after all, don't real sports use balls?

The sheer variety of shots and tactics in badminton are made possible by the shuttlecock's unique aerodynamic properties.

With feather shuttlecocks it is possible, if you judge your shot right, to hit a hard and fast clear over your opponent's head but still have it fall safely inside the court. Very skilled players can use a special shot which can only be properly executed with feather shuttlecocks - the tumbling net shot.

This makes badminton an incredibly fast sport, requiring superb reflexes - the fastest smash recorded, hit by Fu Haifeng of China, was a thunderous 332kph (206mph).

The fact that shuttlecocks float gently before dropping also provides the opportunity for the most impressive badminton shot of all: the jump smash!