In the quest of finding a suitable badminton racquet for yourself, one can encounter two letters in the specifications – U and G. These letters are of paramount importance for a shuttle as it directly influences their style of play.
U represents the weight of the racquet. Each racquet is marked with a specific number that precedes the U. The four basic codes are 1U, 2U, 3U and 4U. Each of these codes correspond to a certain weight range. A code of 1U means that the racquet is weighs between 95-99 grams. Similarly, 2U equals 90-94 grams, 3U is 85-89 grams, 4U is between 80-84 grams and 5U is between 75-79 grams. Professional shutters usually choose a racquet between 1U to 4U. These are racquets that are made with fibre reinforced graphite. Players whose style of play is more attacking prefer heavy racquets whereas defensive players opt for lighter racquets.
G represents the circumferential grip of the racquet. The length of the racquet also influences the style of play of the shuttle. The codes are G3, G4 and G5 which correspond to 89 mm, 86 mm and 83 mm respectively.
The length and the weight of the racquet determine. the balance point. If the balance point is more towards the head, then the swing of the racquet will be slower but the power on the shot will be more. If the balance point is towards the handle, then the swing becomes easier but generating power on the shot can become laborious.
Apart from the balance point, shuttlers also consider the flexibility or stiffness of the racquet, the pattern density of the strings and the head size of the racquet to determine the one that best suits them.
