1. Badminton
Badminton is not just a sport that toffs play in the movies – it's a racquet-net-ball game every bit as accessible as tennis. The aim of the game, as with most, is to keep the plastic, feathered "shuttlecock" in the air. You can play in pairs or singly, and can only hit the cock on your side of the court to clear the net (about 1.5 metres high) the rally is over when the cock hits the floor. The trick is in the cock (OK, we'll stop that now) – which, with its high-drag, accelerates quickly and can decelerate suddenly. Traditionally, a match is the best of three games, each up to 21 points – and points are counted whether you serve or not. Play at: Sydney Olympic Park Sports Halls, Hawkesbury Stadium YMCA, North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre.