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larger area   I live in Central California, the temperature is currently in the high 90's to low 100's every day. I have a small yard that is mostly shaded. I had a landscaper lay sod which died within 1 month. I was lightly watering 5-6 times per week in the evenings. Once it died, the landscaper laid seed over it and did not do anything to the sod or soil underneath. He stated he thought the sod died due to the shade so he laid seed that was appropriate for shady areas. The seed grew well for about 1 month in which I was watering it heavily everyday. The area is not level and the water would pool in some areas. I missed watering it 1 day and the next day, there where the grass was white and sticky. It looked like sap on the grass. This spot was in the area where the water tends to pool. After a few days this spread and most of the lawn is now matted down into the soil. What should I do?

Answer
Everything points to a fungus disease.
Watering daily in the evenings!
Water pooling on the turf.
Does this fit the picture?
"Slime Molds occasionally form on grass during periods of prolonged rainfall and high humidity. A creamy white slimy substance accumulates on the grass (Figure 16). Later, this slimy substance becomes powdery and white, gray or blue-gray. Slime Molds do not cause any direct damage to the grass because they only grow over the surface of the leaf and do not attack it. However, they may cause some injury if they remain on the grass for a long period of time. The exclusion of light may cause a yellowing and weakening of the grass, making it more easily attacked by other organisms. The simplest control of Slime Molds is to brush them off the grass with a broom or rake."
For more on the diseases visit HERE.