Kentucky Bluegrass and Turf-type Tall Fescue are the best turfgrass species for tolerance of  semi-shady/ light shade areas, but when it is heavy shade even they will not do well. The best thing to do if you want the turfgrass to survive is open up the area through selective pruning or plant removal to let more light in. Certain other management practices may help too. To see recommendations for managing turf in shaded areas see our fact sheet HLA-6608 Managing Turfgrass in the Shade in Oklahoma.