Our venue is the sports hall at Therfield School, Dilston Rd, Leatherhead KT22 7NZ.
Play the world's fastest racquet sport
...only slower at
Ashtead Badminton Club
We're a friendly badminton club of mixed ability men and women players that caters for players aged 18+ and of varied ability
(although some playing experience is needed)
Looking for somewhere to
play in the Ashtead or Leatherhead area?
Come along and try us out!
When
We play every Monday evening (excl. Public Holidays) throughout the year and our session runs between 7:45pm – 9:45pm. We play on 4 courts.
Format
We play doubles games and use quality feather shuttlecocks. You will get to play with a variety of members throughout a typical evening via a peg-board system. Both adult men and women are welcome!
We offer a free trial session and after that a low membership fee to cover each season of ~12 weeks of play which covers the court hire and shuttlecocks. Just bring along your racket!
About us...
Ashtead Badminton Club
Ashtead Badminton Club was established over 30 years ago and we currently utilise Therfield School’s new sports hall, which opened in December 2021. We play on Monday evenings (excl. public holidays) between 7:45pm – 9:45pm. We have around 28 adult members (both men & woman, and of a very diverse age group) and play on 4 courts using feather shuttlecocks. Most evenings we have attendance of between 18 – 24 players so you get to play with a lot of different players over the course of 2 hours.
We also make use of a simple but effective electronic pegboard system (BaddersPegs) to help manage games during an evening’s session.
Our Club is suited to players with some reasonable playing experience to ensure we maintain a competitive (but fun) standard of play for everyone. We do not accept complete beginners and nor are we suited for county league professionals. We do not offer formal coaching/training and we also do not play in any leagues or external competitions. Instead, we pride ourselves on being a fun and relaxed badminton social club. We can assure you that you will work up a sweat and get some very good physical exercise!
There is also a social side to the Club and we hold a number of social events throughout the year, all of which are optional, and a number of our members frequent in a local pub after a Monday session.
Ashtead Badminton Club is a Badminton England affiliated club and you can find us listed here.
The Club is managed by Andrew who has lived in Ashtead for the past 20+ years. The Club itself is run as a not-for-profit Club.
Please use the Contact Us form to reach out to us with any membership enquiries.
Find us here...
Therfield School, Dilston Rd, Leatherhead KT22 7NZ
Membership cost
We are a non-profit badminton club. Our membership fee helps cover the hire of the courts and supply of all the feather shuttlecocks used throughout an evening's play.
First night trial
£ 0 / session
On your first session
First trial-out session only
Includes court hire
Includes feather shuttlecocks
Membership per season
£ 9 / session
Season payment calculated on pro-rata basis
~12 sessions per season
Includes court hire
Includes feather shuttlecocks
Costs may vary per season
Additional discounts apply for termly bookings
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the most common questions we are asked by new members.
What is the minimum age the Club accepts?
For insurance purposes, the Club is for only adult men and women over the age of 18. Please note we have a wide age range across our members so no matter whether you are young, middle-aged or are senior, you will not feel out of place at Ashtead Badminton Club.
Does the club welcome both men and woman?
Yes, we welcome both men and woman, and during a typical evening you will get to play both single and mixed sex double games.
Do I need to bring along a partner to play?
No, it is not necessary to bring along a partner. We operate a peg board system so that we vary the players across each game so that you get an opportunity to play with and against different players throughout the evening.
Can I just turn up and play?
We request that you first use our Contact Us form on our website. This will give us an opportunity to make sure that Ashtead Badminton Club is suitable for you and that we have space since we limit the number of people attending to avoid long wait times between games. As mentioned on the website, the Club is not suitable for complete beginners and conversely, nor is it suitable for County League Professionals. This approach ensures that we maintain a playing standard that ensures games are fun but still maintain an element of competitiveness.
Do you offer a free trial evening?
Yes, we offer a free trial evening so that you can experience first hand whether Ashtead Badminton Club will be right for you, and similarly, we can also validate whether you will be right for Ashtead Badminton Club.
Who do I ask for when I arrive on my first evening?
Starting at any new Club can be a nerve racking experience. Be rest assured, Ashtead Badminton Club is a very friendly and relaxed club. Do remember to use the Contact Us form prior to coming along so that we can confirm if we have space for you. When you arrive at Therfield School, head for the new sports hall – you will see a doorbell with Ashtead Badminton Club marked on it. Just ask for Andrew who runs the Club or speak to any of the members will be available to help get you pegged up.
What do I need to bring with me?
You just need a badminton racket – and non-marking sport shoes and something comfortable to play in (e.g. shorts, jogging bottoms, tee-shirt, polo shirt). The Club provides the shuttlecocks.
How many courts do you have allocated for Club use?
We have full use of 4 courts in the main sports hall each Monday evening. An average evening will have around 18 – 24 players so there is minimal waiting between games. On average, you will get to play 8+ games over the course of 2 hours.
The photo below shows the sports hall we hire with 4 courts setup exclusively for use by Ashtead Badminton Club.
Do you use feather or plastic shuttlecocks?
We only play with feather shuttlecocks which we consider to be superior to plastic shuttlecocks. The Club provides all shuttlecocks during an evening session and we use a medium quality shuttlecock.
What scoring system do you use?
Games are played on a 21-point scoring system. The winning side must get to 21 and be at least two points ahead of their opponents. For example, a score of 21 – 19 would win you the game. If the score is 21 – 20, the game continues until either team wins by 2 clear points OR the first team reaches 30; this is to avoid a game going on indefinitely.
How are players chosen for games?
We use an electronic pegboard system called BaddersPeg, which was developed by one of our players. This system is very similar to a conventional pegboard that you would find in use in many badminton clubs. Each player has an assigned peg with their name on it. The electronic pegboard can optionally recommend players for the next game taking the stress out for visitors on deciding who to pick for the next game. Pegs are coloured blue or red to denote male or female. When players arrive, they place their digital peg onto a horizontal bar on the digital pegboard which represents a queue of players. The pegboard highlights the game picker and they select three other pegs to join them on the next available court. When the game ends, the winners and losers are highlighted and automatically re-added to the queue of waiting players. On your first night, other club members will be on-hand to assist you should be the picker for a game. Don’t worry if the pegboard system is completely new to you; it really is very simple when you see it in action.
Is it single or double games you play?
We only play double games during the evening as this ensures we maximise how many players are playing at any one time, and also, because singles requires a very different level of stamina.
Do I need to play for the full 2 hours?
Our Club nights run from 7:45pm – 9:45pm. It is not compulsory to play for the full 2 hours and some players may decide to play for 1 – 1.5hrs depending on their own fitness level; although this does not change the amount paid for the session since the courts are reserved for the full 2 hours. Since we need to setup the nets and take down the nets, our players typically arrive 10 – 15 mins before the start time and we must vacate the sports hall by 10pm.
Are you affiliated with Badminton England?
Yes, Ashtead Badminton Club is affiliated with Badminton England. You can find us here.
Do you play in any leagues?
No. This is a social badminton club and we do not play in any external leagues or tournaments at this immediate time.
How many badminton sessions per season?
Our terms are typically 12-weeks but may be extended if a Monday clashes with a Public Holiday, as we do not play on Public Holidays.
Is there parking onsite?
Yes, there is plenty of parking directly in front of the sports hall at Therfield School.
Are there changing room and showering facilities onsite?
Yes, the sports hall at Therfield School has changing and shower facilities available for use. Since our session ends at 9:45pm and we must vacate the building by 10pm, we ask those players who want to make use of the changing and shower facilities to vacate the courts before 9:45pm to allow time to use the facilities.
Contact Us
Interested in coming along for a taster session? Please submit your details and we will aim to contact you within 48hrs of your enquiry.
