We are planning a day trip from Edinburgh to St Andrews for Easter Sunday so That my husband can walk the golf course. Can we expect everything else to be closed? I know the trains are running.
There is no train service to St Andrews. You need to take a train to Leuchars, then either a bus or taxi.
Public holidays run to a Sunday timetable, but Easter is a favourite time to do maintenance work, so there may be re-timings. The bus / taxi to St Andrews may be a problem on Easter Sunday.
Shops in England and Wales have by law to close on Easter Sunday, but this does not apply in Scotland. Some retailers may choose to close.
Have you checked with the St. Andrews course management that the usual Sunday opening to the non-golfing public is going to happen on Easter? According to this article, there are sometimes exceptions to that tradition https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/14/sports/sundays-on-the-old-course-at-st-andrews-no-golfers-allowed.html
If you don't end up going on Easter, know that the Old Course walking tour is very enjoyable for any avid golfer, and the British Golf Museum is very interesting even for non-golfers who have an interest in history. And you can play the Himalayas (Ladies' Putting Green) for a nominal fee, no tee time needed.
Thanks everyone. I will do more research but will probably stay in Edinburgh for Easter Sunday and
make the trip to St. Andrews the following Sunday. With that in mind, do people who live in Scotland do things like visit Stirling castle on Easter weekend or are they busy with family and real holidays to warm sunny places.