The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) in Wooster has long had a reputation for one of the best turfgrass management programs in the country, with graduates working at country clubs and professional sports arenas all over the world to prove it. The public course was founded by Earl and Betty Hawkins of Wooster. The first nine holes opened in July 1993 and the second nine in May 1994. A mere two years later, Golf Digest ranked Hawks Nest among the top 5 public-access courses in Ohio. Golf Digest's "Best Places to Play 2006-2007" awarded Hawks Nest a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, placing it among North America's 201 best public-access courses.