Shanghai loves badminton. It's the game for anyone, anywhere, on almost any occasion. Yes, you can play outside in the park, in an alley, on a free sidewalk, but most games take place at public gymnasiums. Which you have to book. It's a pain in the ass usually, so we've figured out the process for you at eight popular indoor badminton courts in downtown Shanghai. You will need your own birdies and badminton racket. Oh, and be prepared to show your suishenma at the door.
Before Getting Into It... A Few Notes
Public gyms are the most popular but some residential complexes have private indoor badminton courts for residents, and occasionally they let the public rent courts by the hour. Some public schools and universities also allow people in for a fee, depending on the mood of the bao'an and COVID restrictions. For example, the once-popular courts at East China Normal University's gym have closed due to COVID.
There's an app called Qu Yundong (趣运动) for finding out which "private" courts in Shanghai are open to the public. You can also reserve your courts straight from there. That's kinda cool. Search for it in your App store or find its Mini Program in WeChat.
Lastly, you need some Chinese for badminton. For one, the Qu Yundong app is in Chinese. For two, you need to communicate with the staff guarding the courts. For three, you'll need Chinese to make friends at the court.
But that's all part of the badminton experience.
Book a Court and Go Play
Classes, Coaching, and Clubs
Anyone can work up a good sweat playing badminton, but playing badminton well is a whole other matter. Most classes are organized by the coaches themselves, not the stadiums. They find a suitable court to host classes, or they let the students figure out the logistics, and come to the court you've booked. You'll need Chinese for this. Here are three options:
Wu Yu
Coach Xu and his team organize classes for both kids and adults. Most of the times their classes are held at the courts inside a residential complex in Putuo. They have many long-term students. One on one classes are 3,000rmb for 10 sessions, which includes the cost of the courts.
Wen Zhen Badminton Training
Wen Zhen organizes badminton training for both kids and adults around different stadiums in Shanghai. Classes are in small groups of four to six, priced at 3,600rmb per 20 sessions. Adult classes are usually scheduled from 7pm-9pm on Fridays and Sundays.
Yi Yi Sports Training
Yi Yi Sports provides badminton coaching to kids and adults. Classes are held at different stadiums around Shanghai, or they can send the coach to your desired venue — but you need to sort out the booking yourself. One-on-one badminton classes for adults is priced at 1,599rmb per 10 hours, excluding the court fee.
Finding a Community
If you're new to town or want to have some buddies to practice your moves, there are groups which organize events regularly. Smash is an expat-friendly badminton club organized by Shanghainese entrepreneur Cai Jin, who we spoke to in 2018. They do regular game nights on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at different stadiums. Cai Jin takes care of the booking, and you need to pay a small fee to cover the cost of the court.
There's a no-name local club organized by a guy whose web handle is Yin Bing (饮冰) — they're probably the biggest badminton club in Shanghai, and info about game nights is posted on their Douban page or directly in their WeChat groups. Games are usually in Pudong, at Yuanshen Sports Center Stadium or private courts nearby. A small fee is involved to cover the court. Yin Bing's WeChat ID is 187 1776 0067. Make sure you notify him that you're looking to play badminton. Tell him about your level and he will sort you into a suitable WeChat group.
