A shuttlecock (also called a birdie or shuttle) is a high-drag projectile used in the sport of badminton. It has an open conical shape formed by feathers or plastic (or a synthetic alternative) embedded into a rounded cork (or rubber) base. The shuttlecock's shape makes it extremely aerodynamically stable. Regardless of initial orientation, it will turn to fly cork first, and remain in the cork-first orientation.
The object resembles a hawk's lure, used from ancient times in the training of hunting birds.[citation needed] It is frequently shortened to shuttle. The "shuttle" part of the name is derived from its back-and-forth motion during the game, resembling the shuttle of a 14th-century loom, while the "cock" part of the name is derived from the resemblance of the feathers to those on a rooster.[1][failed verification]
Specifications
A regulation standard shuttlecock weighs around 4.75 to 5.50 g (0.168 to 0.194 oz). It has 16 feathers with each feather 62 to 70 mm (2.4 to 2.8 in) in length, and the diameter of the cork is 25 to 28 mm (0.98 to 1.10 in).[2] The diameter of the circle that the feathers make is around 58 to 68 mm (2.3 to 2.7 in).[3][4]
Construction and materials
A shuttlecock is formed from 16 or so overlapping feathers, usually goose or duck, embedded into a rounded cork base. Feathers are plucked from the wings of a live goose or duck, a method which has been deemed cruel by animal rights activists in recent years.[5] The cork is covered with thin leather.[6] To ensure satisfactory flight properties, it is considered preferable to use feathers from right or left wings only in each shuttlecock, and not mix feathers from different wings, as the feathers from different wings are shaped differently. Badminton companies make shuttlecock corks by sandwiching polyurethane between corks and/or using a whole piece of natural cork. With the first method, the cork becomes misshaped after use, while the cork in the latter method changes very little after use. This is because the structure of the shuttlecock is more durable when made with a single piece of natural cork.[7][8]
Feather or synthetic shuttlecocks
The feathers are brittle; shuttlecocks break easily and often need to be replaced several times during a game. For this reason, synthetic shuttlecocks have been developed that replace the feathers with a plastic skirt. Players often refer to synthetic shuttlecocks as plastics and feathered shuttlecocks as feathers'. Feather shuttles need to be properly humidified for at least 4 hours prior to play in order to fly the correct distance at the proper speed and to last longer. Properly humidified feathers flex during play, enhancing the shuttle's speed change and durability. Dry feathers are brittle and break easily, causing the shuttle to wobble. Saturated feathers are 'mushy', making the feather cone narrow too much when strongly hit, which causes the shuttle to fly overly far and fast. Typically a humidification box is used, or a small moist sponge is inserted in the feather end of the closed shuttle tube container, avoiding any water contact with the cork of the shuttle. Shuttles are tested prior to play to make sure they fly true and at the proper speed, and cover the proper distance. Different weights of shuttles are used to compensate for local atmospheric conditions. Both humidity and height above sea level affect shuttle flight. World Badminton Federation Rules say the shuttle should reach the far doubles service line plus or minus half the width of the tram. According to manufacturers proper shuttle will generally travel from the back line of the court to just short of the long doubles service line on the opposite side of the net, with a full underhand hit from an average player.[9]
Shuttlecock at a badminton court in Penang, Malaysia.
The cost of good quality feathers is similar to that of good quality plastics, but plastics are far more durable, typically lasting many matches without any impairment to their flight. Feather shuttles are easily damaged and should be replaced every three or four games or sooner if they are damaged and do not fly straight. Damaged shuttles interfere with play as any impairment may misdirect the flight of the shuttlecock.
Most experienced and skillful players greatly prefer feathers, and serious tournaments or leagues are always played using feather shuttlecocks of the highest quality.[10]
The playing characteristics of plastics and feathers are substantially different. Plastics fly more slowly on initial impact, but slow down less towards the end of their flight. While feathers tend to drop straight down on a clear shot, plastics never quite return to a straight drop, falling more on a diagonal. Feather shuttles may come off the strings at speeds in excess of 320 km/h (200 mph) but slow down faster as they drop.[citation needed]
See also
Jianzi – a traditional Asian game in which players aim to keep a heavily weighted shuttlecock (Jian) from touching the ground
^"Badminton Shuttle - All You Need to Know About the Badminton Projectile". The Badminton Guide. 2020-01-05. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
^Lee, David (20 January 2020). "Badminton: World body to allow synthetic shuttles from 2021, Singapore's Loh Kean Yew says move towards sustainability is good". The Straits Times.
^. Official Badminton. Official Badminton. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
^Kiley, Brendan (July 24, 2013). "The Rise of the Shuttlecock". The Stranger. from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
^"Yonex Shuttle News" (PDF). www.yonex.ch/. Yonex. (PDF) from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
^Adapted from various Shuttlecock Manufacturer's recommendations - RSL, Yonex, Carleton, among others by J. Wigglesworth. May 2015
^"BWF's tournament sanctioned shuttlecocks". Badminton World Federation site. from the original on 2013-04-28. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
External links
Media related to Shuttlecocks at Wikimedia Commons
The dictionary definition of shuttlecock at Wiktionary
How to choose a shuttlecock - Buying Guide.
April 29, 2023
shuttlecock, 1991, film, film, 1981, novel, which, based, novel, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, new. For the 1991 film see Shuttlecock film For the 1981 novel on which it is based see Shuttlecock novel This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Shuttlecock news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message A shuttlecock also called a birdie or shuttle is a high drag projectile used in the sport of badminton It has an open conical shape formed by feathers or plastic or a synthetic alternative embedded into a rounded cork or rubber base The shuttlecock s shape makes it extremely aerodynamically stable Regardless of initial orientation it will turn to fly cork first and remain in the cork first orientation Feather shuttlecock Plastic shuttlecock Contents 1 Origins 2 Specifications 3 Construction and materials 3 1 Feather or synthetic shuttlecocks 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOrigins EditThe object resembles a hawk s lure used from ancient times in the training of hunting birds citation needed It is frequently shortened to shuttle The shuttle part of the name is derived from its back and forth motion during the game resembling the shuttle of a 14th century loom while the cock part of the name is derived from the resemblance of the feathers to those on a rooster 1 failed verification Specifications EditA regulation standard shuttlecock weighs around 4 75 to 5 50 g 0 168 to 0 194 oz It has 16 feathers with each feather 62 to 70 mm 2 4 to 2 8 in in length and the diameter of the cork is 25 to 28 mm 0 98 to 1 10 in 2 The diameter of the circle that the feathers make is around 58 to 68 mm 2 3 to 2 7 in 3 4 Construction and materials EditA shuttlecock is formed from 16 or so overlapping feathers usually goose or duck embedded into a rounded cork base Feathers are plucked from the wings of a live goose or duck a method which has been deemed cruel by animal rights activists in recent years 5 The cork is covered with thin leather 6 To ensure satisfactory flight properties it is considered preferable to use feathers from right or left wings only in each shuttlecock and not mix feathers from different wings as the feathers from different wings are shaped differently Badminton companies make shuttlecock corks by sandwiching polyurethane between corks and or using a whole piece of natural cork With the first method the cork becomes misshaped after use while the cork in the latter method changes very little after use This is because the structure of the shuttlecock is more durable when made with a single piece of natural cork 7 8 Feather or synthetic shuttlecocks Edit The feathers are brittle shuttlecocks break easily and often need to be replaced several times during a game For this reason synthetic shuttlecocks have been developed that replace the feathers with a plastic skirt Players often refer to synthetic shuttlecocks as plastics and feathered shuttlecocks as feathers Feather shuttles need to be properly humidified for at least 4 hours prior to play in order to fly the correct distance at the proper speed and to last longer Properly humidified feathers flex during play enhancing the shuttle s speed change and durability Dry feathers are brittle and break easily causing the shuttle to wobble Saturated feathers are mushy making the feather cone narrow too much when strongly hit which causes the shuttle to fly overly far and fast Typically a humidification box is used or a small moist sponge is inserted in the feather end of the closed shuttle tube container avoiding any water contact with the cork of the shuttle Shuttles are tested prior to play to make sure they fly true and at the proper speed and cover the proper distance Different weights of shuttles are used to compensate for local atmospheric conditions Both humidity and height above sea level affect shuttle flight World Badminton Federation Rules say the shuttle should reach the far doubles service line plus or minus half the width of the tram According to manufacturers proper shuttle will generally travel from the back line of the court to just short of the long doubles service line on the opposite side of the net with a full underhand hit from an average player 9 Shuttlecock at a badminton court in Penang Malaysia The cost of good quality feathers is similar to that of good quality plastics but plastics are far more durable typically lasting many matches without any impairment to their flight Feather shuttles are easily damaged and should be replaced every three or four games or sooner if they are damaged and do not fly straight Damaged shuttles interfere with play as any impairment may misdirect the flight of the shuttlecock Most experienced and skillful players greatly prefer feathers and serious tournaments or leagues are always played using feather shuttlecocks of the highest quality 10 The playing characteristics of plastics and feathers are substantially different Plastics fly more slowly on initial impact but slow down less towards the end of their flight While feathers tend to drop straight down on a clear shot plastics never quite return to a straight drop falling more on a diagonal Feather shuttles may come off the strings at speeds in excess of 320 km h 200 mph but slow down faster as they drop citation needed See also EditJianzi a traditional Asian game in which players aim to keep a heavily weighted shuttlecock Jian from touching the ground Battledore and shuttlecock an ancient game similar to that of modern badmintonReferences Edit cock Origin and meaning of cock by Online Etymology Dictionary www etymonline com Archived from the original on 2019 03 04 Retrieved 2019 01 10 Whittemore Frank Badminton Equipment Regulations SportsRec Retrieved 20 June 2020 Shuttlecock Trivia www xdcbadminton co uk 2019 10 09 Retrieved 2021 01 05 Badminton Shuttle All You Need to Know About the Badminton Projectile The Badminton Guide 2020 01 05 Retrieved 2022 04 08 Lee David 20 January 2020 Badminton World body to allow synthetic shuttles from 2021 Singapore s Loh Kean Yew says move towards sustainability is good The Straits Times Making Birdies How Shuttlecocks Are Made Official Badminton Official Badminton Archived from the original on 8 December 2015 Retrieved 24 February 2015 Kiley Brendan July 24 2013 The Rise of the Shuttlecock The Stranger Archived from the original on July 27 2019 Retrieved August 13 2016 Yonex Shuttle News PDF www yonex ch Yonex Archived PDF from the original on July 22 2019 Retrieved July 14 2017 Adapted from various Shuttlecock Manufacturer s recommendations RSL Yonex Carleton among others by J Wigglesworth May 2015 BWF s tournament sanctioned shuttlecocks Badminton World Federation site Archived from the original on 2013 04 28 Retrieved 2011 11 01 External links Edit Media related to Shuttlecocks at Wikimedia Commons The dictionary definition of shuttlecock at Wiktionary How to choose a shuttlecock Buying Guide Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shuttlecock amp oldid 1151903902, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
