Driving through the gates of Encanterra, a private country club by Trilogy, you are immediately swept away by the vastness of the 1,000-acre property.

With the Tom Lehman-designed golf course stretching out on both sides and the idyllic roadway seemingly dividing it in two, one thought quickly pops into your mind.

Boy, there’s a lot of grass here!

As it turns out, the rather lush layout that lies on the edge of Queen Creek is wall-to-wall green. Unlike many courses in Arizona that adhere to the 90-acres-of-turf rule, Encanterra was given carte blanche, which resulted in 165 acres of grass – or almost twice as much as any course that has come on line since the 1980s.

“We worked out a deal with Pinal County, where we’re using a lot of reclaimed water, and that’s why we have all this beautiful grass,’’ Lehman explained. “That, and the Shea Homes people liked the idea, so we went with it.’’

Whatever the spin, it’s hard to miss the fairway at Encanterra, where the real challenge comes in accessing Lehman’s large and imaginative greens, which average 7,500 square feet.

“That’s true. It’s all about the greens,’’ Lehman said. “They have a lot of personality, and you can put the pins in some real easy places, or you can make them very difficult.’’

At 7,200 yards from the back tees, Encanterra could be a monster. No wonder the plans are already in place to contest the Gateway Tour Championship and the Arizona Open there later this year.

Still, this is a member’s country club first and foremost, and in that sense Encanterra can be a walk in the park, too. Just don’t get too comfy, Lehman added.

“Some holes are easy, and they will lull you to sleep. But some will also punch you in the mouth,’’ Lehman said with a subtle smile. “There’s a little bit of everything out here.’’

That happens when you move three million cubic yards of earth, as Lehman and his partner, Chris Schwarz did on this once-barren landscape. The beauty of it all is that there are no clones, as no two holes look alike.

After a couple of softballs to open your round, Lehman tosses his first test at a player on No.3, a 582-yard par 5 that features water all the way down the right side. That the green sits like a dock overlooking the lake is all you need to know.

The next chief hurdle, which includes water right and left, is No. 5, a 458-yard par 4 that again includes a green on the edge of the lake. It is a theme that runs throughout, as Encanterra has no fewer than six lakes that probably come into play on twice that number of holes.

And while there are some holes, like the 238-yard ninth, a par 3 that features water from tee to green, there are others, like the 13th, a 555-yard par 5 that features six cross bunkers a la Royal Melbourne, where only a small creek dissects the fairway in front of the green.

“That’s the one thing I really like, watching the ball roll,’’ Lehman said of his fairways, which are made up of Tif-way Bermuda while his greens are Tif-Eagle ultra-dwarf Bermuda.

“I want the ball to roll and roll, and I don’t want something to stop it unless it’s a bunker. That (concept) is very Royal Melbourne-like.’’

Fast and furious, that’s the way Lehman likes it, and it’s another theme he has used in some of his other work, like the Raven at Verrado in Buckeye and the Sonoran Course at Tucson National. Along those lines, his design work has flourished, with the latest-greatest being Encanterra.

Obviously, others agree as the Encanterra community has been a “hot potato’’ in a very cold market. Or have you not been to Queen Creek lately?

Even though there are hundreds of foreclosures in the area, Encanterra, which sits near the intersection of Combs and Ironwood roads, seems to be off to a fast start, with over 70 homes sold in its first month of operation. Another reason Encanterra has got off to a fast start is the promise of a 46,000 square-foot clubhouse, which opens in 2010.

It costs $5,000 for a mandatory social membership, which includes the clubhouse, three swimming pools (resort, lap and indoor) and virtually every resort amenity from a spa to a wine tasting room, as well as outdoor patios and event lawns.

Add $20,000 more and you get the golf membership, too. Translated: Encanterra just might be the best private golf deal in the East Valley.

“I’d like to think so,’’ Lehman said. “I know that it’s pretty darn good right now, and with a little time it’s only going to get better and better.’’

Encanterra

37449 N. Encanterra Drive

Queen Creek

Golf management: Trilogy

Developer: Shea Homes

Designer: Tom Lehman

Type of club: Private, non-age qualified

Par/Yardage: 72/7,200 yards

Directions: Take Ironwood south to Combs, turn left and go one-half mile.

www.encanterrra.com