Learn the Laws of Badminton

To transition from casual badminton to competitive play, you can learn by doing, or learn by studying, or both. To get a solid understanding of the rules of competitive badminton, you will probably have to do some studying.

USA Badminton has endorsed use of the official international laws of badminton, maintained by the World Badminton Federation.
Read all the official laws and you'll learn the specifications for courts, court equipment, the shuttles, and racquets; how to score; requirements for valid serves; when to change ends; definitions of faults and lets; and how to avoid misconduct.

In addition to referencing the laws of play, USA Badminton also provides rules for entering tournaments, running tournaments, and a player code of conduct form.

For those who are visual learners, you might enjoy viewing the badminton rules videos created by Badminton New Zealand and hosted by Stan Bischof at WorldBadminton.com.

Study up, learn the laws, play safely as a good sportsperson, and enjoy your game!