Currently, we have 15-20 regular players of all ages and standards: Adults, teenagers and children, beginners and experienced. We are keen for you to join us.

We are affiliated with Badminton Victoria.

What does it cost? Any casual player/prospective member may play for up to 4 weeks from the date of their first attendance.

• There is a sessional fee of $5 at BARC and $5 at Nagle, payable directly to the club for a contribution towards the running costs of the session e.g. shuttlecocks, insurance, hall hire and other incidentals (the difference in fee is due to different hall hire arrangements at each venue).
• Players must also pay $4.70 directly to BARC on entry to the sports centre (i.e. a total of $9.70 for non-members to play with us at BARC).

After 4 weeks players must pay their membership fee and become a registered member of EGBA - this is for insurance reasons. We cannot allow uninsured players to participate due to the conditions detailed in our hall hire agreement and the terms of our insurance policy. Your Membership fee contributes towards our essential running costs (hall hire, insurance and other incidentals) and is the same whether you play Wednesdays, Fridays or both.

• Membership rates for 2023 are $130 for adults and $100 for Secondary school students.

Is there a minimum age? Yes, our youngest players must be at least Year 7 (i.e at least age 12/13 years old)

Is there a separate shuttlecock fee? No, this is now included in the annual membership fee.

Is there a competition? Yes, we run a team competition when we have members committed to playing badminton regularly over a number of weeks. Membership fees are required prior to participation in the competition.

Will I be coached? We have no official coaching sessions. Any of our more experienced badminton players will happily offer you advice to help you improve your game if requested.

Can I visit to try badminton and the club out? Yes! We welcome players who want to have a go to see if they like the sport, who are on holiday in the Gippsland Lakes area, or who are students on placement in the Bairnsdale locality and want to join us and keep fit.

What racquet should I buy? It's a personal decision, you may need to go online, look in a big sports store in the city, or borrow someone else's to see what you like. Well-respected brands which are popular with our club members include Epsilon, Carlton, Yonex and Li-Ning, there are many more too. A beginner needs a more flexible shaft, and a more powerful player needs a stiffer one.

What surface do you play on? The sports hall floors at Nagle College and Bairnsdale Aquatic and Recreation Centres are both wooden sprung.

Where can I get my racquet re-strung? We don't know of anyone locally offering a badminton racquet restring service.

• Contact Badminton Victoria's sponsor Protech Sports (Australia). Andrew will assist. Protech Shop Location: Altona Badminton Centre, 271 Mason Street, Altona North, 3025, VIC. Telephone: 0421 312 960, www.protechsports.com.au

Where can I get a new racquet grip? Once you've worn it out or if you don't like the feel/colour of your current one you can either go to a local sports store - tennis racquet grip does work or order online e.g. from Epsilon Australia

What shuttlecocks do you use? We use Epsilon goose feather shuttles. Did you know there are 16 feathers in every shuttle from the left wing of the goose only, I wonder what they do with the right wing...

How do I play? What are the rules? We will teach you as you play. If you would like to study the regulations and rules and learn about the fundamentals of badminton you can view the following PDF documents: