Tipping in badminton is a manner in which the shuttle’s feathers are adjusted in order to control the pace of the shuttle. In professional badminton tournaments, players are allowed to tip only if both players or teams agree upon it along with the consent of the chair umpire.
Tipping in badminton is often necessary as badminton facilities are indoors. Indoor conditions add to the humidity depending on the temperature, that in turn affects the feathers of the shuttle. Based on the speed of the shuttle, players decide whether to make the shuttle slow or fast.
Tipping to make the shuttle slow
When the shuttle is traveling fast, players have to tip every fourth feather of the 16 feathers embedded in the cork. The feather is bent or tipped outwards. The total area of each feather that is tipped must not exceed 4 mm. Moreover, players must prefer a pincer grasp at the tips of the feather to perform the tipping.
If the shuttle is still not as slow as required, then every second feather is tipped in the same manner as done before. When the players are still not content with the pace of the shuttle, then they can tip all the feathers outwards.
Tipping to make the shuttle fast
Grade-wise tipping of the shuttle in order to make it fast is done in the same manner as it was to make t slow. However, the only difference is, that instead of the outward motion, the feathers are tipped inwards.
It is important to remember that no harm should come to the stem that binds the feathers to the cork. Any distortion to the stem will result in the feather becoming unstable. All professional athletes have to be well-versed with tipping. By doing so, they ensure that the aerodynamics of the shuttle is suited as per their game style.
