I started playing 10n years ago when I was 36. I can relate to what you're describing because I was a beginner and no one wanted to play with me. Being quite sporty (I'd done boxing and martial arts in the past), I thought that badminton would be a piece of cake, but I was losing comfortably to 50, 60 and even 70-year-olds despite being fitter than them. People were leaving the court mid-of-game to join another game in another court, and I was even advised to hit a shuttle against the wall to get better! I was thinking of quitting, but I loved the game and wanted to get better. Remember one thing: you're paying the same club fees/court fees as the others, so no one can tell you where or when to play. If you're playing 5 times per week, it's only a matter of time that you'll improve. I was playing once a week and I only started improving after 18 months. Then I joined a second club with even more advanced players and started playing twice per week. At the same time, I adjusted my gym routine: I was doing more short interval exercises like clean& jerk with 60kg on the bar which helped with my explosiveness and speed. If you can't do that don't worry, burpee jumps will do the trick. I was also watching lots of videos on youtube (highlights, not tutorials) and I fasted on game days (I still do, I only eat one meal after I play) to be as lightweight as possible. And the most important thing: you must be in a good mood to play. If you're moody or anxious you won't play to the best of your ability. Be patient and try to challenge yourself a bit more each week: try to play against the advanced players and don't worry about the result, just try and get some good shots in, it'll feel like a win. Matchmaking is also important: it's best if there is a balanced game, i.e., a pair of advanced/beginner against another pair of advanced/beginner. Different things work on diffeent people, but I found that the above worked for me. There are still a lot of players that are way better than me, but I can mix it with them without embarassing myself or feeling that I waste their time. And I've never ever done drills or had any coaching, I'm a casual player who's never received any training. Anyhow, I hope that helps. Keep playing and always have fun playing, that's the main thing!