Speedminton is the new beach badminton game that is taking outdoor gamers by storm!
This is the new badminton alternative because of the better Speeder (Birdie) design. The Speeders are smaller and heavier than badminton shuttlecocks, so they fly better even on a windy day. Speedminton was created for outdoor fun and even glows in the dark.
You don’t even need a net to play this racquet sport. Guaranteed to have a racquet of a time. After reading our Speedminton Outdoor Game Review and seeing all the rules you will for yourself.
How to Play Speedminton
If you love badminton, Pickle Ball, or Tennis then Speedminton will be your favorite racquet sports game. It is very easy to learn and the best thing is that you do need to carry around or set up a net.
The rules and basics are very simple, similar to badminton rules. Each player stands in approximately an 18-foot square and has to defend it. The players hit it back and forth and if the Speeder lands in the other player’s square you get a point.
If it drops outside the zone or lands in the middle then it’s the other player’s point.
The official tournament play is to use a court that is 42 Feet by 18 Feet. You can just mark off an area on the beach, park, or backyard and get a game going. If you have cones great! Alternatively, on a beach, you can just do your best to mark an area in the sand.
The playing zone (that is the 18 feet on your competitor’s side) is the spot you try to land in to get your points.
Instead of hitting it over a net you play between 2 squares with a distance between (let’s call it no man’s land) acting as the net. This playing field (shown above) is approximately ¼ of the entire area.
Speedminton Rules
Winning a Match
- The goal of each game is to be the first player to score 16 points.
- If there’s a tie at 15 points, the game continues until one player secures a 2-point lead.
- A match is won by the first player to win 3 games. This player is crowned the champion.
- If a fifth game (or tiebreak) is needed, players switch sides after every 6 points played.
Starting the Game
- The game begins with a draw to decide who serves first.
- Each player then gets 3 consecutive serves before the serve alternates to the other player.
Serving Rules
- All serves must be made from the server’s designated box.
- Unlike tennis, every serve in Speedminton is counted, and there are no second chances or ‘mulligans’.
Adjusting for External Factors
- To balance any potential disadvantages from external factors like wind or sun, players switch sides after each game.
How to Score in Speedminton
The scoring system is very simple. As we said above every serve counts and you alternate serves every 3 plays. Each rally (or volley as it is called) is counted as a point.
Points are awarded when:
– Not landing the Speeder in your opponent’s square
– If the Speeder touches the ground at any time.
– If the Speeder comes in contact with a player’s body
– Not returning a shot that lands on your playing field
– Hitting the Speeder out of Bounds.
– If it is hit twice by the same player or team.
Also just for the record if the speeder is hit out of bounds and the player tries to return it then it counts as accepted and the play continues.
Speedminton Equipment
Speedminton equipment is pretty standard. The rackets are made up of aluminum and typically weigh around 6 ounces and are 23 inches long. They are shorter than traditional tennis or badminton racquets but far more durable.
The speeders are similar to the birdies but heavier and have different designs as described above. With the Speedminton set they normally come with 3 speeders.
One for fun, one for official games, and one that can light up at night. As a fair warning, the official game birdies fly much faster and can go up to 190 mph and goes much further.
Rules for Doubles Speedminton Play
The rules for playing doubles are very similar to doubles game in tennis when serving with the same rules as singles Speedminton. The server has three serves in a row just like a singles game.
The first service is always made from the right-hand field to the left. All serves must serve diagonal to the opposite-field opponent as shown in the image below.
After each serve the serving team swaps fields with their team partner and serves diagonally to the different players on the opposing team. Once the serve is returned players are free to move anywhere on their team’s field to play the speeder.
Once all 4 players have had their 3 serves it returns to the first server.
How to play Speedminton at Night
The fun does not need to stop just because it is getting a little dark out. The creators of Speedminton thought of everything when they designed a Speeder that can also be played well into the dark!
All you must do is push the Speedlight into the hole at the back of the speeder’s head. The fun thing about this is even if you are not able to see your racquet, your hand, and mind just know where it is.
Even though I wish that the speeder light was a bit brighter, it still drastically improves a game when it is getting dusk out.
We still love the classic badminton but when you want to play it out in the park or beach wind is always a factor. Speedminton has a better design and results in faster and closer play. Even when just hitting it with a friend you can make it more challenging.
The racquets are smaller so kids can use them and they can be played in schools. It has definitely earned a spot in our car’s trunk and treasured backyard game shelf!
Speedminton has been featured in our Ultimate List of 65+ Backyard Games, Beach Games for Adults, and Outdoor Games for 4 People.
