We accept all players from complete beginners through to experienced pros. All you need is a desire to enjoy playing badminton!
Badminton is a form of exercise so you will want to wear an outfit that’s comfy and lightweight yet strong and not too restrictive. A good pair of trainers, preferably only used indoors, is the most important item in your outfit. Your badminton shoes should have non-marking soles and provide support for your ankles. Polyester, quick-dry materials are popular for shirts, shorts and leggings as they are light, stretchy and don’t soak up too much sweat. You can find a great selection of dedicated badminton clothes at Direct Badminton here
We run club nights on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please see our sessions page for more information
We play doubles games at all sessions. We operate a pegboard for choosing who plays with/against each other in each game. You can find out more information on our Playing Games page.
Yes. We currently enter 2 teams into the Stevenage Badminton League (SBL). If you are interested in joining a team, please speak to one of the team captains listed on the Leagues and Matches page
Yes. We currently have 4 qualified coaches playing at the club. A coach is usually available at every session to answer questions and provide tips on techniques, positioning and tactics if requested. We can also offer some dedicated coaching during our Sunday sessions.
We provide the shuttles, nets and courts. We can also provide a racket for the session if you don’t currently have your own one yet. It is advisable to bring your own water bottle so you can stay hydrated during the session. There is also a water fountain available next to the changing rooms.
We use plastic (nylon) shuttles in every session. You can find out more information here
We have followed the advice from Badminton England and the government throughout the pandemic. Currently, there are no restrictions on playing games or matches. We do however ask you to continue to take sensible precautions including washing your hands before and after playing and not attending if you have any symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID. We continue to provide hand gel and quarantine the shuttles in between sessions to help mitigate any risks.
No. When you pay your monthly subscription, you can’t get your money back or a free session in lieu of one you have missed or couldn’t attend for some reason. Unfortunately, we have to pay for the courts whether people turn up or not. We base the number of courts we book on the number of members we have for each session and that cost is fixed and paid months in advance. Most members miss a few sessions due to holidays or sickness over a year but that cost balances out over time. If you know you will be away for a month or more, you can stop your standing (we ask for 1 month’s notice in advance) but then we can not guarantee to keep your place at the session as we may give your space to someone else who wishes to join that session.
No. You can attend as a guest at another session if there is space but you must pay the guest fee for that session (currently £5.50 for members). The club has still had to book the courts for the session you missed.
We have an extended absences policy that states that a member must attend a minimum of 5 sessions in any given 13 week period. This was set to ensure people turn up to play badminton and for there to be a good mix of games. For some nights, we may have a waiting list because the session is full. If members are not attending their sessions as set out by our policy, their space may be offered to the next person on the waiting list. We understand that you may end up missing multiple sessions due to unforeseen circumstances. If you believe you may trigger the absence policy and you wish to hold your space (you must continue to pay as the club still has to pay for the courts), please let us know and the committee can use its discretion for exceptional circumstances.
If your circumstances change and you sadly have to leave us, we ask that you give us at least one month’s notice. Please email us or use the general contact form here. If this is not possible, please let us have as much notice as possible. We book the courts in advance, based on our membership numbers so when someone leaves, this may mean that we have to amend down the number of courts that we book.