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The Loop

Magic golf ball defies gravity, has entire internet debating whether or not it's a hoax

The going theory in some corners of the irrationally paranoid internet is that we are not living in the reality that we think we are, but instead an elaborate simulation of said reality. There's all sorts of "evidence" used to "corroborate" this "hypothesis"—which just so happens to be exactly the plot of a certain Keanu Reeves sci-fi thriller)—but none compelling than this video of a seemingly magic range ball that went more viral than Bryson DeChambeau analyzing pin composite density on Friday afternoon. Buckle those eyeballs up, folks. This is gonna be a bumpy ride.

Uploaded by Reddit user Bryce Stanley, the video showcases both a nightmare-inducing range fail and a glitch in the gravity engine of Sims 2049, where we all live, work, and play on daily a basis. The first reaction is awe and then second is, of course, disbelief. The ball seems just a bit too static at the point of non-impact. Surely there would have to be some sort of movement if this now very-viral clip were anything but a hoax. As one Golf Digest video editor explained in our mandatory Slack post-mortem, however, there actually is slight rotation, though you might not notice at first, second, or even third viewings.

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OK, so clearly we don't have anything better to do, even smack dab in the middle of Masters Friday. Personally, I'm inclined to side with guy who stares at video footage of golf balls hooking, fading, spinning, bumping, running, and checking all day, every day, but what do you think? Is this real? Is it fake? Did we all just choose the blue pill and forget we're nothing but alien Duracells living inside Microsoft Excel? Perhaps, perhaps not. But one thing is certain: That, my friends, is one magic loogie.