BEIJING – When most people think badminton, they think backyard picnic, plastic birdie, a couple of beers. But then, most people have never seen Olympic badminton players smash the shuttlecock at speeds of up to 200 mph. They have never mingled amongst sellout crowds in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Denmark.

They don't realize elite badminton players are very finicky about their equipment. That they insist on cork shuttles with 16 overlapping feathers from the left wing of a goose. Not the right wing. Only the left. (Something about the curvature of the left-side feathers and aerodynamics.) A tube of a dozen Yonex AeroSensa shuttlecocks goes for about $36. Lightweight graphite rackets can run as high as $800.

Yes, Olympic badminton is serious stuff. » read more