In New Zealand the earliest badminton matches were played probably by people who had learned the game in England or India. The history of regular play can be traced from the formation, about 1900, of the Auckland Badminton Club. After a few seasons, however, this went into recess and the game was not played regularly until towards the end of the First World War when a club was formed at Auckland Teachers' Training College. In 1921 a young people's social club in Nelson included badminton among its activities and, shortly afterwards, badminton clubs were organised in Wanganui and Napier and it was these two clubs which arranged the first badminton matches. Meanwhile, the game had revived in Auckland and by the mid-1920s a rapidly expanding group of clubs had taken shape. Under these circumstances, the clubs of Wanganui, Napier, and Auckland combined to form the New Zealand Badminton Association which held the first New Zealand Badminton Championship Tournament at Wanganui in 1927.
New Zealand was one of the nine nations which, in July 1934, joined in the formation of the International Badminton Federation. As a foundation member of the Federation, New Zealand has taken an active part in international tournaments. Every second season Australia and New Zealand compete for the Whyte Trophy. Since 1938, when the trophy was first competed for, New Zealand has won two of the 10 contests held. New Zealand teams have participated in the international badminton championships on four occasions, the men competing for the Thomas Cup and the women for the Uber Cup. The following is the New Zealand record in international competitions:
| Summary of International Match Results | |||||
| Fixtures | Matches | ||||
| Played | Won | Lost | Won | Lost | |
| Thomas Cup | |||||
| v. Australia | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| v. Indonesia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Uber Cup | |||||
| v. Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| v. Thailand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| v. Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| v. Denmark | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Other Matches | |||||
| v. Australia (Whyte Trophy) | 9 | 2 | 7 | 54 | 84 |
| v. England | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| v. Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| v. Malaya | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 19 | 6 | 13 | 79 | 135 |
Badminton championship tournaments have been held annually since 1927, except during the war years 1940–46. In their overall pattern the championship events closely follow that of lawn tennis – men's and women's singles and doubles, and mixed doubles.
Interprovincial competition began during the 1934 season when the Wisden Cup was instituted. Until 1939 this was a challenge cup, but in that year the present “knock-out” competition was introduced. More recently, the Division I competition has been divided into North and South Island zones, the provincial teams in each zone playing for the Slazenger and Neill Cups respectively. The winners of these trophies then play off for the Wisden Cup.
Since the formation of the Badminton Association, the game has grown steadily in popularity. Of special note are the excellent new halls built solely for badminton at Invercargill, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland. At the present time the number of players affiliated to the controlling body, the New Zealand Badminton Federation, has passed the 10,000 mark. There are now 350 clubs.
The following are the New Zealand National Badminton Championship and Wisden Cup results since the inception of these respective competitions:
| Men's Singles | Ladies' Singles | |
| 1927 | R. Creed-Meredith | Mrs E. Hetley |
| 1928 | T. Kelly | Mrs E. Hetley |
| 1929 | J. R. Southon | Miss A. Ellett |
| 1930 | E. J. Rishworth | Miss J. E. Ramsay |
| 1931 | G. Martin | Miss J. E. Ramsay |
| 1932 | G. Martin | Miss J. E. Ramsay |
| 1933 | Y. Ellett | Miss J. E. Ramsay |
| 1934 | H. H. Fow | Miss A. Ellett |
| 1935 | J. W. Neale | Mrs C. P. Wren |
| 1936 | P. Hawksworth | Miss M. Edmondson |
| 1937 | P. Hawksworth | Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1938 | P. Hawksworth | Miss N. M. Fleming |
| 1939 | R. H. Lewis | Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1940–46 | No competition | No competition |
| 1947 | R. H. Lewis | Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1948 | J. E. Robson | Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1949 | J. E. Robson | Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1950 | P. Hawksworth | Mrs M. Potts |
| 1951 | J. E. Robson | Miss H. Redwood |
| 1952 | J. E. Robson | Miss H. Redwood |
| 1953 | J. E. Robson | Miss Sonia Cox |
| 1954 | A. L. Scott | Miss Sonia Cox |
| 1955 | J. E. Robson | Miss Sonia Cox |
| 1956 | A. L. Scott | Miss Sonia Cox |
| 1957 | A. M. Stephens | Miss Sonia Cox |
| 1958 | J. E. Robson | Miss A. McKenzie |
| 1959 | J. E. Robson | Mrs J. E. Robson |
| 1960 | J. E. Robson | Miss Sonia Cox |
| 1961 | D. B. Higgins | Mrs J. E. Robson |
| 1962 | R. H. Purser | Mrs J. E. Robson |
| 1963 | Yew Cheng Hoe | Mrs J. E. Robson |
| 1964 | R. H. Purser | Mrs J. E. Robson |
| Men's Doubles | |
| 1927 | R. Creed-Meredith and M. Fell |
| 1928 | R. Creed-Meredith and L. H. Wilson |
| 1929 | T. Kelly and J. G. McLean |
| 1930 | D. W. Earle and W. E. Fossette |
| 1931 | G. Martin and E. J. Rishworth |
| 1932 | J. R. Southon and E. W. Griffiths |
| 1933 | A. E. Sandrai and N. R. C. Wilson |
| 1934 | H. H. Fow and R. T. Fear |
| 1935 | J. W. Neale and R. F. Hull |
| 1936 | P. Hawksworth and G. A. Pearce |
| 1937 | P. Hawksworth and G. A. Pearce |
| 1938 | P. Hawksworth and G. A. Pearce |
| 1939 | P. Hawksworth and G. A. Pearce |
| 1940–46 | No competition |
| 1947 | P. Anderson and B. Whale |
| 1948 | J. E. Robson and A. L. Scott |
| 1949 | J. E. Robson and A. L. Scott |
| 1950 | P. Skelt and L. Rankin |
| 1951 | J. E. Robson and A. L. Scott |
| 1952 | J. E. Robson and A. L. Scott |
| 1953 | J. E. Robson and A. L. Scott |
| 1954 | P. D. Skelt and A. T. Skelt |
| 1955 | J. E. Robson and A. L. Scott |
| 1956 | P. D. Skelt and A. T. Skelt |
| 1957 | A. M. Stephens and C. L. Sheerin |
| 1958 | Lin Ah Shin and S. Young |
| 1959 | P. D. Skelt and A. T. Skelt |
| 1960 | A. M. Stephens and N. R. Thompson |
| 1961 | J. E. Robson and M. Cooke |
| 1962 | G. Hinton and Lee Tuck Chew |
| 1963 | Teh Kew San and G. Yap |
| 1964 | R. H. Purser and O. Clegg |
| Ladies' Doubles | |
| 1927 | Mrs E. Hetley and Miss N. Wanklyn |
| 1928 | Mrs E. Hetley and Mrs F. N. Harvey |
| 1929 | Mrs E. Hetley and Mrs F. N. Harvey |
| 1930 | Miss B. Solomon and Miss A. Ellett |
| 1931 | Miss J. E. Ramsay and Miss C. Phillips |
| 1932 | Mrs C. F. Wren and Miss T. D. Newton |
| 1933 | Mrs C. F. Wren and Miss A. Ellett |
| 1934 | Mrs C. F. Wren and Miss A. Ellett |
| 1935 | Miss J. E. Ramsay and Miss Mary Wade |
| 1936 | Miss J. E. Ramsay and Miss Mary Wade |
| 1937 | Mrs P. Hawksworth and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1938 | Mrs P. Hawksworth and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1939 | Mrs P. Hawksworth and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1940–46 | No competition |
| 1947 | Mrs P. Hawksworth and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1948 | Mrs P. Hawksworth and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1949 | Mrs P. Hawksworth and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1950 | Miss H. Redwood and Miss V. Johnson |
| 1951 | Miss H. Redwood and Miss V. Johnson |
| 1952 | Miss H. Redwood and Mrs V. Gow |
| 1953 | Miss N. M. Fleming and Miss S. Cox |
| 1954 | Miss A. McKenzie and Miss E. M. Meyer |
| 1955 | Mrs J. E. Robson and Miss S. Cox |
| 1956 | Miss N. M. Fleming and Miss S. Cox |
| 1957 | Miss N. M. Fleming and Miss S. Cox |
| 1958 | Mrs A. Butterworth and Mrs V. Gow |
| 1959 | Mrs A. Butterworth and Mrs V. Gow |
| 1960 | Miss S. Cox and Miss E. M. Meyer |
| 1961 | Miss M. Moorhead and Miss G. K. Tompkins |
| 1962 | Mrs J. E. Robson and Mrs V. Gow |
| 1963 | Mrs J. E. Robson and Mrs V. Gow |
| 1964 | Mrs J. E. Robson and Mrs V. Gow |
| Mixed Doubles | |
| 1927 | R. Creed-Meredith and Mrs E. Hetley |
| 1928 | E. Dart and Mrs Dart |
| 1929 | T. Kelly and Miss A. Ellett |
| 1930 | E. J. Rishworth and Miss J. E. Ramsay |
| 1931 | E. J. Rishworth and Miss J. E. Ramsay |
| 1932 | J. R. Southon and Miss A. Ellett |
| 1933 | I. Ellett and Miss A. Ellett |
| 1934 | R. F. Hull and Mrs C. F. Wren |
| 1935 | H. D. Reid and Miss J. E. Ramsay |
| 1936 | P. Hawksworth and Miss N. M. Fleming |
| 1937 | P. Hawksworth and Mrs P. Hawksworth |
| 1938 | P. Hawksworth and Mrs P. Hawksworth |
| 1939 | P. Hawksworth and Mrs P. Hawksworth |
| 1940–46 | No competition |
| 1947 | P. Hawksworth and Mrs P. Hawksworth |
| 1948 | G. A. Pearce and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1949 | J. E. Robson and Miss M. L. Kerr |
| 1950 | P. Hawksworth and Mrs M. Potts |
| 1951 | R. G. Pattinson and Miss V. Johnson |
| 1952 | P. D. Skelt and Miss R. B. Emslie |
| 1953 | J. E. Robson and Mrs J. E. Robson |
| 1954 | A. T. Skelt and Miss A. McKenzie |
| 1955 | J. E. Robson and Mrs J. E. Robson |
| 1956 | P. D. Skelt and Miss S. Cox |
| 1957 | N. R. Thompson and Miss S. Cox |
| 1958 | N. R. Thompson and Miss S. J. Miller |
| 1959 | N. R. Thompson and Miss S. Cox |
| 1960 | J. E. Robson and Mrs V. Gow |
| 1961 | J. E. Robson and Mrs J. E. Robson |
| 1962 | R. H. Purser and Miss M. Moorhead |
| 1963 | W. Kerr and Mrs J. Byram |
| 1964 | R. H. Purser and Miss A. Glenie |
| Wisden Cup | |
| 1934 | Auckland |
| 1935 | Auckland |
| 1936 | Auckland |
| 1937 | Waikato |
| 1938 | Auckland |
| 1939 | Wellington |
| 1940–46 | No competition |
| 1947 | Otago |
| 1948 | Otago and Wellington (divided) |
| 1961 | Auckland |
| 1949 | Otago |
| 1950 | Otago |
| 1951 | Otago |
| 1952 | Wellington |
| 1953 | Auckland |
| 1954 | Otago |
| 1955 | Auckland |
| 1956 | Southland |
| 1957 | Wellington |
| 1958 | Auckland |
| 1959 | Auckland |
| 1960 | Auckland |
| 1962 | Auckland |
| 1963 | Auckland |
| 1964 | Auckland |
by Ian Gray Russell, formerly Official Historian, New Zealand Badminton Federation (Inc.), Wellington.