Ways to sign up for a badminton social
Each social's listing on LoveMyBadminton shows how to join it under How to join. These are the ways you will come across:
WhatsApp group Most common
Join the social's WhatsApp group, then add your name to the list for the session you want. Some groups run one social; others run several, each with its own list.
How the list works
Facebook group chat
Works the same way as WhatsApp: the organiser posts a name list in the group chat and you add your name to it.
Message the organiser
Send the organiser a message on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, or text or call their mobile, and ask for a spot.
What to send
WeChat group
Some socials organise in a WeChat group. You join by scanning the group's QR code or being invited by a member.
WeChat tips
Booking website or app
Some socials take sign-ups on a website or app instead of a chat. Some ask you to pay when you book.
Before you pay
Just turn up
A few socials need no booking: you turn up and pay. These are rare, so only do this when the social's listing clearly says no booking is needed.
How a WhatsApp sign-up list works
Most socials take sign-ups with a numbered name list posted in their group chat. The top of the list has the session details: date, venue, time, fee and courts.
Below that are numbered spaces. You claim a spot by writing your name in the next empty number. The same method is used in Facebook group chats.
- Find the newest listScroll to the most recent message that has the list for the session you want. Everyone who signs up posts a new copy, so the organiser's first post is soon out of date.
- Copy the whole messageOn a phone, press and hold the message, then tap Copy.
- Add your name to the next empty numberPaste it into a new message and type your name after the first empty number, for example 10. becomes 10. Sam. Keep everyone else's names exactly as they were.
- Send it as a new messagePost the full list with your name in it. The newest list is the one everyone copies next.
- Check your name is still thereIf two people copy the same list at the same time, one name can get lost. Scroll down and make sure your name is in the newest list. If it isn't, add it again.
Example chat Made-up names
Organiser
Sunday Badminton @ Example Sports Centre
Time: 2 - 4pm
Fee: $15
Courts: 3, 4, 5
1. Alex
2. Priya
3. Tom
4. Mei
5. Jordan
6. Hana
7. Chris
8. Chris +1
9. Lily
10.
11.
12.
You
Sunday Badminton @ Example Sports Centre
Time: 2 - 4pm
Fee: $15
Courts: 3, 4, 5
1. Alex
2. Priya
3. Tom
4. Mei
5. Jordan
6. Hana
7. Chris
8. Chris +1
9. Lily
10. Sam
11.
12.
You copy the newest list and add your name to the first empty number.
Post the list, not "add me please". The organiser counts players from the newest list, so a separate message asking to be added is easy to miss.
Before you post, read the top of the list to make sure it's the right day: some groups run lists for more than one social in the same chat.
What "+1" means
+1 means someone is bringing a guest. The guest gets their own number on the list, written as the person's name plus +1,
straight after their own spot: in the example, 7. Chris is Chris and 8. Chris +1 is the friend Chris is bringing.
So a guest takes up a spot like anyone else. Not every social allows guests, so check with the organiser before you add a +1 of your own.
Read the group's rules
Some groups explain their rules in the group description or a pinned message, such as how to pay or whether guests are allowed.
Have a read when you first join.
When the social is full: the waiting list
When every number is taken, some socials add a waiting list under the main list. You join it the same way: copy the newest list,
put your name in the next empty waiting list number, and post it.
The waiting list is in order. If someone drops out, waiting list number 1 gets the first spot, then number 2, and so on.
If enough people pull out, you're in.
Keep an eye on the chat on the day: a spot can open up close to the start.
Example chat Made-up names
You
Sunday Badminton @ Example Sports Centre
Time: 2 - 4pm
...
10. Ben
11. Grace
12. Omar
Waiting list
1. Sam
2.
3.
Full list, so you take waiting list spot 1.
Dropping out, and why late cancellations still pay
Plans change. If you can't make it, take your name off as early as you can and let the organiser know, so the first person on the waiting list gets your spot.
The 24-hour rule. Most socials let you drop out without paying if you do it at least 24 hours before the session.
Drop out later than that and the organiser may expect you to pay anyway.
That's fair: organisers book and pay for courts based on how many people have signed up. A late drop-out leaves them paying for a court spot no one uses.
Rules vary between socials, so check your group's rules if you're not sure.
Messaging an organiser, and WhatsApp and Facebook tips
If a social's listing says to message the organiser, a short, clear message gets the quickest answer. Say which social and day you mean, your level, and whether it's your first time. For example:
Hi, I found your Sunday afternoon social on LoveMyBadminton. I play at a beginner / intermediate level and this would be my first time. Is there a spot this week, and how do I sign up?
Joining a WhatsApp group from a link
Tap the group's invite link and choose Join group. If the organiser has turned on member approval, you'll see Request to join instead,
and you're not in until they accept you. If nothing seems to happen, wait a little: the organiser has to approve you by hand.
Messaging an organiser on Facebook
If you message someone on Facebook you're not friends with, your message goes into their Message requests folder, not their main inbox,
so they may not see it straight away. If you haven't heard back, try another contact method on the social's listing, such as a mobile number.
Busy group? You can mute a group chat so it stops buzzing, and still open it to check the list when you need to.
Joining a WeChat group
WeChat groups are private: you can't search for them. You join by scanning the group's QR code, or by being invited by someone already in the group.
- Group QR codes expire after 7 days. If an old screenshot of a QR code doesn't work, ask the organiser for a new one.
- Large groups can't be joined by QR code. Once a group gets big, a member has to invite you. Ask the organiser to add you.
Once you're in, check the group's messages to see how that social takes sign-ups.
Booking websites and apps
Some socials take sign-ups on a website or app, such as Meetup, instead of a group chat. You register for the session there, and some ask you to pay when you book.
Before you pay, read the cancellation, refund and waiting list rules. Each site and each social sets its own.
Joining a badminton social: common questions
How do I join a badminton social in Melbourne?
Find a social on LoveMyBadminton and open it: the How to join section shows how that social takes sign-ups. Most use a WhatsApp group:
you join the group, then add your name to the numbered list for the session you want. See how the list works.
Do I need to book before going to a badminton social?
Almost always, yes. Courts are booked based on how many people sign up, so most socials need you on the list first. Only turn up without booking when the social's listing clearly says no booking is needed.
How do I add my name to a WhatsApp badminton list?
Copy the newest list in the chat, paste it into a new message, type your name after the first empty number, and send it. Then check your name is still in the newest list.
What does "+1" mean on a badminton list?
It means someone is bringing a guest. The guest takes their own number on the list, for example 7. Chris then 8. Chris +1, so a guest uses a spot like anyone else. Not every social allows guests, so check with the organiser first.
What happens if the social is full?
Add your name to the waiting list, if the social has one. It is in order: if someone drops out, waiting list number 1 gets the spot first, then number 2, and so on.
Can I cancel my spot?
Yes. Most socials let you drop out without paying up to 24 hours before the session. Later than that, the organiser may expect you to pay, because the courts are already booked for the number signed up.
Why hasn't the organiser replied to my Facebook message?
If you're not Facebook friends, your message lands in their Message requests folder, which is easy to miss. Try another contact method on the social's listing.
The WeChat group QR code doesn't work. What do I do?
Group QR codes expire after 7 days, and large groups can't be joined by QR code at all. Ask the organiser for a new code or to invite you.