History remembers difficult courses and trying conditions. It immortalizes brutal ones.

Think of the 1951 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills, where Ben Hogan brought “the Monster” to its knees. The “Massacre at Winged Foot” during the 1974 Open. The “War by the Shore” of the 1989 Ryder Cup, where players had little idea how to negotiate Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. Tiger Woods at the 2002 British Open at Muirfield, where his chances for a Grand Slam washed away in the monsoon-like conditions.

This week, the PGA Tour begins a two-tournament stretch of some really tough golf. Before heading to the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, a layout so difficult that it provides a warning to players on the 1st tee (above), the field at this week's St. Jude Classic will have an opportunity to prepare for golf's most demanding tournament at surprisingly difficult TPC Southwind.

The longtime host of the tour's Memphis stop was the hardest non-major course on tour last year, with an average of 2.534 strokes over par. TPC Southwind ranked high on the list of the 20 most difficult courses from the 2008 PGA Tour schedule. Click to see which other layout that the best players in the world found to be the toughest to play.

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