Jim Laver Carter (born June 24, 1961) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.

Carter was born in Spring Lake, North Carolina. He attended Arizona State University in Tempe and was a distinguished member of the golf team – a two-time first-team All-American and the 1983 NCAA Champion. He won the 1981 and 1984 Arizona State Amateur Championship, and the 1983 and 1984 Southwest Amateur Championship. Carter was honored with the Arizona State University Athlete of the Year award in 1984. In 1995, he was inducted into the Arizona State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Carter turned pro in 1985. In contrast to his college career, Carter’s level of success as a tour professional has been very modest. He won once on the Nationwide Tour in 1994, and once on the PGA Tour in 2000. Qualifying for the PGA Tour has been a constant struggle; however, he managed to qualify for the elite tour in 13 of the 16 years between 1990 and 2005. His best finish in a major championship was T-24 at the 2002 U.S. Open. Carter lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Amateur wins (5)
1981 Arizona State Amateur
1983 Southwest Amateur, NCAA Championship
1984 Arizona State Amateur, Southwest Amateur

Professional wins (4)

PGA Tour wins (1)
2000 Touchstone Energy Tucson Open

Nationwide Tour wins (1)
1994 NIKE New Mexico Charity Classic

Other wins (2)
1989 Arizona Open
1996 Arizona Open