Families across America are
enjoying backyard badminton.

Badminton Is Back

While you might not have played badminton since fourth grade P.E. or an eons-ago family picnic, these days more than 9 million people in the United States can be found batting a birdie around in their backyards.

The reason for the renaissance is simple: Few backyard sports are easier to learn and cheaper to get into, yet more challenging to master, than badminton.

Richard and Joyce Dentt had played volleyball for years. They even had set up a volleyball court in their Southern California yard. When they became interested in badminton, they lowered the existing net to 5 feet 1 inch, converting their court into a badminton-ready place to play. Richard says that because badminton is an activity anyone can play, their yard is now a social center.