Is there a good systematic approach to flying an 800 foot pattern?
The trick of putting the runway half way down your wing strut visually, or a third to a half way down the wing on a low wing works great, because it automatically allows for any altitude agl being flown. As far as the rest of the pattern goes, just fly it with the same power settings and airspeed you would have in a1000 foot pattern. The base leg will get turned maybe a tiny sooner than the usual 45 degrees behind you trick, since you are starting out 200 feet lower (so you don't want to go as far away) I think it's more important that you just fly the pattern no differently...just make sure you're not out wide on downwind. The trick to consistent landings is consistent patterns and approaches. And that only comes from making sure your first circuit around is by the numbers. (i.e. airspeeds and power settings were exactly right and exactly at the proper place when they happened) Adjust accordingly after that first one, but really quiz yourself and make sure you are being consistent in the first place, before you start changing up how you do things.