Andrew,
I don't have a great deal of experience with tabular sections - I don't like them and almost always use group sections.
However, in the RDA if you right click on the column heading or the column data item and select properties, then select the advanced tab you can un-tick the visible item. The same can be done from the section properties and the fields tab and field properties button, then the advanced tab. You would have to use the section properties to make the column visible again.