It’s not just beginners who struggle with shot selection in badminton.

Players of all levels can struggle to make the right shot choices at the right time. Sometimes you lose focus and play one ridiculous shot that gets you told off by your partner (who isn’t as good as you anyway!). Or you’re put under enough pressure that your options become limited.

We regularly see professional players on the World Tour make the wrong shot choice. The difference is that at that level, the margins are tiny. A slightly poor decision can be enough to lose control of an entire rally.

One of the biggest differences between lower-level and higher-level players, then, isn’t necessarily their ability to hit a particular shot. It’s their ability to recognise which shot to play for the current situation.

So let’s look at the three main overhead shots — the clear, drop and smash — and determine when each one is the best option.

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What Does Good Badminton Shot Selection Require?

Before we get into individual shots, there are some key basics of shot quality.

1. Get to the Shuttle Early

First things first: you can’t consistently make the right shot choice if you can’t get to the shuttle.

The earlier you reach the shuttle, the more options you have available. The later you are, the more you restrict these options.

This isn’t just about whether you can technically play a clear, drop or smash. Your position affects the angle, quality and effectiveness of the shot.

If you’re early to the shuttle, you might have the choice between a straight drop, cross-court drop, clear or smash.

If you’re late, you might only have the option of playing a high clear to give yourself time to recover.

That is why footwork is so important to shot selection. Good footwork doesn’t just help you reach the shuttle — it gives you more choices once you get there.

2. Have the Technical Ability to Play the Shot

The next requirement is fairly obvious: you need to be able to play the shot.

That means having your fundamentals in place, including racket preparation, grip, overhead swing, contact point and follow-through.

You need to play the different overhead actions consistently before you can start making sophisticated decisions about which one to use.

There’s no point deciding that a deceptive cross-court drop is the perfect tactical choice if you can’t actually execute the shot reliably!

3. Experience

Another factor which is perhaps less obvious: experience.

Making mistakes leads to learned behaviours and improved shot selection in badminton.

If you repeatedly try the same shot in the same situation and keep getting punished, you learn that it’s not the best option.

That’s why experienced players can appear to make decisions almost automatically. They’ve seen similar situations hundreds or thousands of times before.

They recognise the situation, understand the likely consequences and choose the shot accordingly.

4. Know Your Opponent

You should also learn how your opponent plays.

If you’re playing the same friends every week, you probably already know some of their tendencies.

Maybe they always lift cross-court when under pressure. Maybe they struggle moving backwards. Maybe they love attacking short clears. Maybe they stand too far back in defence. Maybe they’re born with it…maybe it’s Maybelline. Sorry, I lost my train of thought there.

Anyway, all of this information should influence your shot selection.

Of course, the opposite is also true. They can read you and how you play. So it’s learning how not to be too predictable while keeping them predictable. That’s a whole other topic that revolves around anticipation.

When you’re running them all over the court, you can tell them it’s because you read ShuttleSmash!

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The Golden Rule of Badminton Shot Selection

Before diving into each shot, remember this simple rule:

Don’t play the shot you can hit—play the shot you should hit.

This sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly difficult to follow. Just because you can play a cross-court drop doesn’t mean you should. Just because you can smash doesn’t mean you should. And just because you can hit a winner doesn’t mean it’s the right time to try.

Your shot should be based on the situation you’re in and what you expect to happen next.

I consider four things particularly important.

Your Court Position

Your position on the court is probably the first thing you should consider.

A beautiful cross-court drop looks much more impressive than a boring clear. But, is it the best shot from the position you’re in? Of course, the glory of a cross-court drop is a big factor! We all want to play the winner and imagine ourselves lifting that All England Trophy.

But you also need to think about what happens after you play the shot. For example:

• Where will your opponent be?

• Where will you be and how will you recover for the next shot?

• What is their most likely reply, and can you get there?
• Can your partner cover the next shot if you’re playing doubles?

The answer to these questions can completely change which shot is the best option. That’s not to say you need to assess the situation in such detail. As mentioned above, this will mostly come from experience.

Your Balance

Balance is another huge factor. The more off-balance you are, the less control you have over the shuttle and the greater your chance of making an error. This is particularly important when you’re considering an attacking shot. All badminton shots, whether an overhead, net shot, or even a drive, require good balance to be effective.

A smash played while off-balance is unlikely to be as effective as one played from a stable position. You may lose power, contact the shuttle from a poor position, and take longer to recover afterwards.

Sometimes the smartest decision is therefore the least exciting one. If you’re in trouble, get yourself out of trouble first.

Your Opponent’s Position

In singles, this is fundamental because you’re trying to create movement pressure. If your opponent is deep in the rear court, a drop might be a good option. However, if they’re too far forward, a clear may be better. Attacking into the open space might be the best choice if they’re stuck on one side of the court.

In doubles, the situation is different because your opponent has a partner covering the court. You need to consider not just where the person you’re hitting towards is standing, but how their partner is positioned as well. Not only that, you need to consider your own partner!

For example, if one defender is standing particularly deep, a fast drop may be useful. If both defenders are sitting deep because you’ve established a strong smash, a drop can disrupt their defensive rhythm. Knowing where they are standing, or where they’re likely to move, is a great indicator for choosing the right shot

The Quality Of The Incoming Shot

Finally, look at the quality of the shuttle coming towards you. A poor-quality lift or clear gives you more options that often allow you to take the initiative.

Likewise, if you’re late to a high-quality shot, trying to force an attacking response may simply make your situation worse.

So these four factors — your position, your balance, your opponent’s position and the quality of the incoming shot — form the foundation of good shot selection.

With that in mind, let’s look at the three main overhead shots.

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When to Clear in Badminton

Players generally consider the clear a defensive or neutral shot. This is true in many cases, but it can also be used as a semi-attacking shot, such as with the punch clear. The clear is your defensive default and a useful way to reset the rally when you get into trouble. It gives you time to recover and pushes your opponent to the back of the court.

It’s also one of the few shots you can play when you’re very off balance in the rear court. It can help you recover and get yourself back into the rally. It may not be as effective as a clear played from a balanced position, but it’s a much better option than a drop or smash given the circumstances.

When To Clear In Singles

• The clear is one of the most important rally-building shots in singles. It’s versatile and can help you maintain control of the rally while moving your opponent into the rear court. It can also create an opportunity for you to take the initiative. While a clear is less likely to give you an immediate advantage, a good one should also avoid giving your opponent an easy opportunity to attack.

• If your opponent is particularly strong in the front court, you can use the clear to keep them away from this position, forcing them to either play attacking shots or drops to bring the net back into play. Of course, this will mean more energy expenditure, as they will have to travel to the front court from the rear court every time they want to play a net game.

• You can also use the clear to reset the rally. Sometimes you might have fallen victim to deception, or moved in too early in anticipation of a different shot. Therefore, you’ve lost valuable seconds trying to recover and make it to the shuttle in time. In this instance, you’re guaranteed to be in a bad position and off balance. The best option is to play a deep clear and rebuild the rally again. Remember, you don’t want to give easy points to your opponent. Even if you’re forced to clear, you’re still in the rally.

In Doubles

• Clearing is more common in women’s doubles and mixed doubles than in men’s doubles. But it can be a good option to throw in a punch clear generally as a variation in your attacking play. This is perhaps a bit more dangerous in men’s doubles because the clear is typically shallower and more likely to be intercepted.

• Otherwise, the clear is generally used to reset the rally, as it is in singles. Of course, this means giving the initiative away and should be used only in situations of real trouble.

• It can also be used to force the weaker rear-court player to the back of court. This is especially true in mixed doubles when you can use it to force the mixed doubles pair out of the ideal formation. However, you need to be aware of your own partnership dynamic. If your partner is weak at defending smashes, the last thing you want is to clear the shuttle to their side and put your partner in the firing line! That’s why court awareness is so important.
• The most important thing when clearing in doubles is that it has a purpose. Just because you’re bored of smashing, it doesn’t mean you should throw in a clear for variation. You need to consider the impact of that clear on the rally. If it doesn’t serve a purpose, then you might need to vary your attack or find a way to move forward.

When Not To Play A Clear:

• The most obvious answer here is: You shouldn’t play a clear when you have a clear attacking opportunity. For example, if the opponent offers you a weak lift or clear to the rear court, that needs to be punished with an attacking downward shot. Not to mention that playing a clear from the mid-court often results in the shuttle going out, as we have less understanding of the length of the court from the mid-court compared to the rear court. At least I do!

• Secondly, you should not play clears constantly as the opponent will begin to read them and adjust their base position to react to them faster. This will put you under pressure. This is especially true in singles where clears are utilised far more often.

• In singles, you should consider the direction of the clear. If you clear cross-court, you have exposed that side of the court. This means you need to consider not only your opponent’s shot choice, but also the angles now available to them. A straight smash would now put you in trouble as you have to cover the opposite side of the court. Equally, a fast cross-court drop would also be an issue, as you might prioritise the straight smash only to then have to readjust to cover the other side of the court.
• So if you’re not comfortable covering the distance, it’s better not to clear in certain directions, and instead consider clearing to the middle of the court to restrict the opponent’s angles of attack.

• Lastly, if you’ve managed to pull your opponent out of position and they’re chasing the shuttle, perhaps the last thing you want to do is give them time with a high clear to recover. Unless that clear is conducive to setting up a rally-winning point. But you don’t want to work hard for a point, only to let your opponent back in the rally! Keeping pace in the rally is the best way to keep them scrambling until you can create an opening to win the point.

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When to Use a Drop Shot in Badminton

The drop shot is one of the most versatile shots in badminton.

It can be played slowly or quickly, straight or cross-court, and with varying degrees of deception.

But the main purpose of the drop is often to bring them to the front court and affect their perception of the pace and speed of both the shuttle and the rally.

When To Use A Drop In Singles

• While the clear forces your opponent into the rear court, the drop brings them forward to the front court. You’re likely to use this when the opponent is weaker in the front court than the rear court – or relatively weaker coming forward. This will create an opportunity for you to win the rally.

• It’s often not a winning shot in singles, but rather a building shot to engineer the rally in your favour. It creates space in the rear court for you to exploit. Another situation may be where you use the clear in combination with the drop. The clear forces them to the rear court, and the drop forces them to come forward. When used effectively, this can force the opponent to travel the full length of the court.

• It can also be used to develop a pattern to play to lure the opponent into a rhythm. Using the drop clear combo in a single rally, for example, may condition the opponent to anticipate your shot choice. But then throwing in a drop twice in a row, instead of the clear, will break that rhythm since they will be anticipating the clear. This forces them to adjust their footwork and change their direction, possibly resulting in a weak reply you can punish.

• Fast drops are useful in singles because they maintain the pace of the rally without committing to a full attack. You can disguise them as a power smash before slicing the shuttle. The racket speed creates the illusion of a more powerful shot, making it harder for your opponent to recognise the change. You can then vary the pace when they expect another smash. The change in pace can force your opponent forward, potentially resulting in a weak return, allowing you to finish the rally.

When To Use A Drop In Doubles

• Use the drop shot as a change of pace in attack. It doesn’t always have to be disguised – à la Watanabe. A fast sliced drop shot that brings the shuttle down steeply is more than enough to damage the defensive rhythm of the opponent. Bear in mind that an obvious-looking drop shot may be killed off at the net, so at least some level of natural deception is required.
• Disguised drop shots are often very effective but require a high level of skill and deft touch to pull off. It is very difficult to play these off-balance/out of position. These are most effective combined with a strong smash. So if you have a situation where you’ve been raining down thunderous smashes and then a delicate drop, this will completely throw off your opponent’s defence.

When Not To Play A Drop Shot

• When you’re off balance. The drop requires quite a delicate touch, which means that if you’re off balance, your position is compromised. With a clear, for example, because of the nature of the shot, it’s much easier to punch it, even when off balance. This is often the safer option over a drop, allowing you to reset the rally.

• When you’re late to the shuttle, playing a drop is not impossible but is much more difficult. So many amateur players do this, but there are three main issues:
  • The first is that it is technically more difficult to play the drop shot from such a position, as the shuttle would have fallen significantly in height. Therefore, the error percentage is higher.
  • The second thing, and much more important thing to consider, is your follow-up shot. How are you going to recover from being late to the rear court to being early in the front court?
  • Where is your opponent? If you’re late to the shuttle or look off balance, the opponent is going to move forward. The smash looks unlikely, so the probability is a drop or clear. And judging from your body position, they can tell the angle you’re going to play it at.

• When you’re tired. In singles, it’s slightly easier to get away with this, but in doubles, playing a drop when you’re tired seems logical as it saves energy, but it’s not always the best idea. Sometimes after you smash a few times, it’s obvious to your opponent you’re getting tired. They can see your body position has changed and your timing to the shuttle, and it can be obvious that you’re going to play a drop.
• At this point, they’re going to move forward to the net and hunt that drop shot. So sometimes it’s better to vary your attack and clear the shuttle than risk the rally being finished because you were too tired to smash.

When to Use a Smash in Badminton

I am hoping you didn’t scroll down the page just to get to the smash! I know it’s the coolest shot in badminton, but that doesn’t diminish the importance of the clear and drop!

When To Use The Smash In Singles

The smash has the same purpose in singles as it does in doubles, but players use it far less frequently. The reason should be obvious to anyone who’s tried this tactic in a singles game. It is exhausting! So obviously, doing it continuously while covering the whole court isn’t something even the pros can do. Unless you’re old-school Lin Dan.

So when should you use the smash in singles? You need to be more selective.

• Firstly, when you have manufactured the rally to the point where your opponent plays a weak lift. If the lift is short, the smash is faster for your opponent, which means:
  • Slower reaction time from your opponent. They may not be able to react at all or not fast enough to play a quality return.
  • Steeper Angle. This makes it more difficult for your opponent to deal with.
  • Better potential follow-up attack.

• This can be a winning shot that makes all the previous hard work worthwhile!

• Secondly, when you’ve pulled your opponent out of position such that they’re caught on one side of the court. Smashing is a good option here because it gives your opponent very little time to recover and move across to cover the open court. The less time you can give them, the weaker their return will be, if they’re able to return it at all!
• Don’t forget, in singles, the smash can be a building shot as well as a winner. If you can predict the defence of your opponent, you can follow your attack forward and create follow-up opportunities to take advantage of a rally. Usually the most common response to a smash in singles is the block back to the net, so if you’re fast enough, you can use this to your advantage.

When To Use The Smash In Doubles

All the frickin’ time! Well, almost. To clarify, whenever it’s feasible to do so — which is pretty often! Doubles strategy requires you to attack constantly, and therefore it is the default option when the shuttle is lifted. That’s not to say the other shots don’t have a place (particularly drops). Players use the smash more than any other shot to gain an advantage in the rally

But to be more specific, not every smash is created equal in doubles.

• Different variations of the smash should be used for different situations. You cannot always rely on a full-on power smash. Like with singles, this is going to be most effective with a shorter lift. In other situations, you might choose a stick smash instead. This creates more of an angle, which can be used, for example, after a few consecutive power smashes to disrupt the defensive rhythm of the opponent.
• Another example is when you’re pushed right to the back of the court, and a full power smash could be more easily defended. Alternatively, you could consider using a sliced smash, which creates a sudden deceleration of the shuttle, once again disrupting the opponent’s defence.

• The key in doubles is variation. Because the smash is the default, it must be used cleverly rather than without thought. I often refer to it as a free kick in football.
  • With a free kick, you can score, or you can set up another player to score. It’s the same in badminton.
  • A direct free kick often results in the free-kick taker taking the shot. This is the equivalent to a short lift where you would use a power smash.
  • With indirect free kicks, you look to cross the ball into the box and create a chance for your team to score. That is every other situation on the court when you’re smashing. And because you are (or should be!) on the attack most of the time, you need to create these chances for your partner by varying your shot choices.

When Not to Use a Smash in Badminton

• The last thing you want to do is play a power smash off balance. Being off balance makes it harder to rotate efficiently and engage your core, resulting in a weaker smash. Moving backwards or sideways can also affect your contact point and compromise the angle.
  • An important note is that it’s harder to generate a steeper/powerful smash while jumping sideways to your non-racket side than your racket side. So depending on your court position, you need to consider this before you play the smash. If you choose to do so, the opponent can launch a very effective counterattack by whipping that shuttle back cross-court.
  • Secondly, it can lead to slower recovery. This is because you have to recover from the backwards or sideways movement before you can recover to your base position, giving precious time for your opponent to exploit your lack of position.

• If the lift is particularly good, and you’re hitting from the baseline, consider a variation of the smash or a drop in doubles and a clear in singles. Smashing from such a position means that:
  • It takes longer for the shuttle to travel to the opponent, giving them more time to react.
  • You also have to travel a longer distance to recover, which is particularly important in singles.

• You should also avoid smashing in doubles, where it will put your partner in trouble. For example, smashing cross-court will expose your partner on the straight return, making it a good choice for your opponent. This is usually too fast for your partner to intercept it because they’re not expecting the cross-court. Even if you’re fast enough to get across to the return, your attacking position is compromised.

So Which Shot Should You Play?

There is no single best shot in badminton – but there are the best shot options. In other words, the best shot choice is the one that gives you the best outcome from the situation you’re in.

Below is a quick cheat sheet to help you. This is a generic approach just to help you understand the basics of what you should be doing in each situation. In an actual game, the choice can often be much more nuanced, but as a foundation, these are some of the options given a few scenarios.

If you remember nothing else from this article, remember this: your shot selection should be based on your position, your opponent’s position, your balance and the quality of the incoming shuttle.

Situation	Shot to Consider
You’re under pressure and need time	High clear
You’re late to the rear court	Clear
Your opponent is deep in the rear court	Drop
Your opponent is too far forwards	Clear
Your opponent is out of position	Attack into the open space
You receive a weak lift	Smash
You want to disrupt a defensive rhythm	Fast drop / attacking variation
You’re off balance	Clear
You have a short lift in doubles	Smash
Your opponents are expecting repeated smashes	Drop or attacking variation
You’ve pulled your opponent out of position	Maintain pressure rather than giving them time

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The Best Players Don’t Just Hit Better Shots

When you watch professional badminton, it’s easy to focus on the spectacular shots. Watching smashes decimate the opponents’ defence, delicate drop shots completely deceiving world-class players and diving defences.

But what often separates the best players isn’t simply their ability to hit these shots. It’s the ability to know when to hit these shots. Even the pros often will make wrong shot choices.

As an example, we’re used to watching the men’s singles players diving around the court in their defence. While this is impressive in itself, how did they get in that situation in the first place?

They may have made the wrong shot choice, forcing them to dive to recover a situation they created for themselves. They are just athletic and skilled enough so the mistake is hidden behind how spectacular the dive looked.

But ultimately, beyond technical skill, it’s the maturity to choose the right shot at the right time that will take your game to the next level.